
Book aL**_w_^ 



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TOLD TO THE CHILDREN SERIES 



OLD TESTAMENT 
STORIES 



TO 
HARRY 



*•••-.-_..-.■- - * 

u — A 

OLD TESTAMENT 
STORIES 

SELECTED FOR THE CHILDREN BY 

EDWIN CHISHOLM 

WITH PICTURES BY 

R. T. ROSE 




NEW YORK 
E. P. DUTTON & CO. 



BS.ss\ 
,Css 



/S3fl 



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Edinburgh : Printed by T. and A. Constablk 



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ABOUT THIS BOOK 

These stories from the Bible are very 
old. Hundreds of years before they were 
written down at all they were told over 
and over again to the children of Israel by 
their parents. You may be sure that the 
things about their forefathers which were 
remembered for so long were the things 
that made the people of long ago most real 
to the children of Israel. And they are real 
to us too, for we see that these men of the 
old world were not unlike ourselves : the 
good people then loved obedience and 
patience, kindness and truth ; and the evil 
things they had to fight against were dis- 
obedience, bad temper, and deceit. 

So their struggles were like ours, and 
this draws us near to them ; but what 
draws us nearer still, is that over and over 
again we see that God helped them when 
they asked Him, just as He helps us now. 

E. C. 



H 



LIST OF STORIES 



ABRAHAM, 

ISAAC, 

JACOB, 

JOSEPH, 

MOSES, 



Page 

I 

17 
30 

45 
76 



LIST OF PICTURES 



And Jacob said unto his father, * I am Esau,' Frontispiece 

At page 
And Sarah heard it in the tent door, .... 6 

And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the 

knife to slay his son, 14 

He took of the stones of that place, and put them for 

his pillow, 30 

They said one to another, 'Behold, this dreamer 

cometh/ 46 

And Joseph answered and said, 'This is the meaning 

thereof,' 52 

She laid it in the flags by the river's brink, ... 78 

And Moses turned and went down from the mount, and 

the two tables of stone were in his hand, . . .110 



ABRAHAM 

Now it came to pass that God spake to 
Abraham, and said, 'Get thee out of thy 
country, and from thy kindred, and from 
thy father's house, and go into a land that 
I will shew thee. And thy children's children 
will be many, they shall be a great nation, 
and I will bless thee and make thy name 
great, and thou shalt be a blessing to many. 
And I will bless them that bless thee, and 
curse him that curseth thee/ 

So Abraham went out from his home, not 
knowing whither God would lead him ; and 
he was seventy and five years old when God 
spoke to him. 

And Abraham took with him Sarah his 
wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all the 
flocks and herds and servants that belonged 
to them, and went forth to go into the land 
of Canaan. And into the land of Canaan 
they came. 



2 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

Then God again spake to Abraham, and 
said, 'Unto thy children will I give this 
land/ And Abraham builded an altar unto 
God, who had appeared unto him. 

Afterwards Abraham journeyed to Bethel, 
and there pitched his tent, and builded an 
altar, and called upon the name of the Lord. 

And there was a famine in the land of 
Canaan ; and Abraham went down into Egypt, 
but returned again to Bethel with Lot, his 
nephew, and with their household, and with 
all their flocks and herds. And Abraham was 
very rich in gold, in silver, and in cattle ; and 
Lot also had flocks, and herds, and tents. 
And it came to pass that the number of their 
cattle was so great that there was not food 
enough for them, and Abraham's herdsmen 
quarrelled with Lot's herdsmen. 

Then Abraham said unto Lot, c Let there 
be no strife, I pray thee, between me and 
thee, and between my herdsmen and thy 
herdsmen ; for we are brethren. Behold, the 
whole land is open to thee : separate thyself, 
I pray thee, from me. If thou wilt take the 
left hand, then I will go to the right, or if 



ABRAHAM 3 

thou choosest the right hand, I will go to 
the left. 1 

And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the 
plain of Jordan, that it was well-watered 
everywhere, even as the garden of the Lord, 
Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan. 
But the men who lived in Sodom and other 
cities of the plain of Jordan, were wicked, 
and great sinners. 

And the Lord said unto Abraham after 
Lot had gone away from him, ' Lift up now 
thine eyes, and look from the place where 
thou art, northward, and southward, and 
eastward, and westward, for all the land that 
thou seest, to thee will I give it and to thy 
children for ever.' 

Now it came to pass that certain kings of 
the land made war against Sodom, where 
Lot was ; and the king of Sodom fled, and 
the kings took Lot and all that he had away 
to their own country. And they came and told 
Abraham, and when Abraham heard that Lot 
was taken prisoner, he armed his servants, 
three hundred and eighteen, and pursued 
them. And at night he attacked the kings 



4 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

and smote them, and brought back again 
Lot and his goods, and all his people. And 
the king of Sodom went out to meet Abra- 
ham as he returned, and offered him gifts. 
But Abraham said, ■ I will not take anything 
that is thine.' 

After these things the word of the Lord 
came to Abraham in a vision, saying, ' Fear 
not, Abraham, I am thy shield.' 

And Abraham said, 'Behold, Lord God, 
to me thou hast given no children.' 

And God brought Abraham out of his tent, 
and said, c Look now toward heaven and tell 
the stars if thou be able to number them. 
And yet as many as the stars shall thy 
children and thy children's children be.' 

And Abraham believed God. 

Sarah, Abraham's wife, had no child. 
And Abraham took Sarah's handmaid, 
Hagar, and made her his wife (for it was the 
custom long ago in that country for rich 
men to have more than one wife). And 
Sarah was jealous and unkind to Hagar, and 
dealt so hardly with her that Hagar fled. 

And the angel of the Lord found her in the 



ABRAHAM 5 

wilderness beside a fountain of water, and 
he said, 'Hagar, whence earnest thou, and 
whither wilt thou go ? ■ 

She said, c I flee from the face of Sarah, my 
mistress.' 

The angel of the Lord said, 'Return to 
thy mistress, and be obedient to her. Behold, 
thou shalt have a son, and shalt call his 
name Ishmael. But he will be a wild man ; 
his hand will be against every man, and 
every man's hand against him.' 

And she called the name of the Lord that 
spake unto her, 'Thou God seest me.' 

And Hagar did as the angel commanded 
her. And it came to pass that she had 
a son ; and Abraham called his son's name 
Ishmael. 

And the Lord appeared again unto Abra- 
ham as he sat in the tent-door in the heat 
of the day. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, 
and looked, and lo ! three men stood by him : 
and when he saw them he ran to meet them 
from the tent-door, and bowed himself to- 
wards the ground. And he said, ' Pass not 
away, I pray thee, from thy servant. Let 



6 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

a little water, I pray thee, be fetched, and 
wash your feet and rest yourselves under 
the tree ; and I will fetch a morsel of bread, 
and comfort ye your hearts.' 

And they said, * So do as thou hast said/ 

Then Abraham took cakes, and butter, and 
milk, and meat, and set these before them : 
and he stood by them under the tree, and 
they did eat. 

And the men said to Abraham, ' Where is 
Sarah, thy wife ? ' 

He said, l Behold, in the tent/ 

And one of the men said, c Lo, I will 
certainly fulfil my promise, and Sarah thy 
wife shall have a son/ And Sarah heard 
it in the tent-door, and she laughed within 
herself, saying, * Shall I have a son now 
that I am old? 1 

And the Lord said to Abraham, ' Where- 
fore did Sarah laugh ? Is anything too hard 
for the Lord ? ' 

Then Sarah denied, saying, i I laughed 
not,' for she was afraid. 

But he said, 'Nay, but thou didst 
laugh/ 




And Sarah heard it in the tent door 



ABRAHAM 7 

And the men rose up and looked towards 
Sodom; and Abraham went with them to 
bring them on their way. 

And the Lord said to Abraham, 'I shall 
not hide from thee the thing" I am about to 
do. Behold, the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah 
is very grievous. I will go down now and 
see whether they do as great evil as I have 
heard, and if the evil is very great, I will 
destroy these wicked cities.' 

But Abraham drew near and said, 'Wilt 
thou destroy the good with the wicked ? If 
there be fifty good men in the cities, wilt 
thou not spare the place for their sakes ?' 

And the Lord said, 'If I find in Sodom 
fifty good men, then I will spare all the 
place for their sakes.' 

Abraham said, ' Behold, I have taken upon 
me to speak unto the Lord. If there shall 
lack five of the fifty good men, wilt thou 
destroy all the city for lack of five ? ' 

And the Lord said, 'If I find there forty 
and five, I will not destroy it.' 

Then Abraham spake yet again, and said, 
1 If there be forty there ? ' 



8 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

And the Lord said, C I will not do it for 
forty's sake.' 

Again Abraham said, c Let not my Lord be 
angry, and I will speak. If now thirty be 
found there ? ' 

And the Lord said, c I will not do it if I find 
thirty there.' 

And Abraham once more said, c Behold 
now, I have taken upon me to speak unto 
the Lord. If there shall twenty be found 
there?' 

And the Lord said, ' I will not destroy it 
for twenty's sake.' 

Even again Abraham said, 'Let not the 
Lord be angry, and I will speak but this 
once. If ten shall be found there ? ' 

And the Lord said, 'I will not destroy it 
for ten's sake.' 

Then came two angels to Sodom at even, 
and Lot sat at the door of his house, and 
seeing them rose up to meet them. 

And Lot said, 'Turn in now, I pray you, 
my lords, into your servant's house, and 
tarry all night and wash your feet, and ye 
shall rise up early and go on your way.' 



ABRAHAM 9 

But they said, l Nay, but we will abide in 
the street all night.' 

Then Lot pressed them greatly, and they 
entered into his house, and he did make 
them a feast, and they did eat. 

But before they lay down, the men of 
Sodom surrounded the house, and called to 
Lot to bring them out to them. And Lot 
went out at the door unto them, and shut 
the door after him, and said, c I pray you, 
brethren, do no evil to these men, for they 
are my guests/ 

And the men of Sodom were angry, and 
said, * Stand back, or we will deal worse 
with thee than with them.' And they 
pressed sore upon Lot, and came near to 
break the door. But the angels put forth 
their hand and pulled Lot into the house to 
them, and shut to the door. And they smote 
the men that were at the door with blind- 
ness, so that they wearied themselves to find 
the door. 

Then the angels said unto Lot, ■ Get ready 
your goods and your family, and prepare to 
leave this place, for God has seen their great 



io OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

wickedness, and hath sent us to destroy the 
city.' And when the morning was come the 
angels hastened Lot, saying, l Arise, take 
thy wife and thy daughters, lest thou be 
burned up in the city.' And while Lot 
lingered, the angels laid hold upon his hand, 
and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the 
hand of his two daughters, and brought 
them forth and set them without the city. 

Then said they to Lot, ■ Escape for thy 
life, look not behind thee; escape to the 
mountains lest thou be burned up/ 

And Lot said, 'Oh, not so, my Lord. I 
cannot escape to the mountains lest some 
evil take me and I die ; behold now, let me 
escape unto the city of Zoar, for it is near to 
flee to.' The angel said, ' Haste thee, escape 
to that city, and for thy sake it shall not be 
overthrown.* 

Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and 
upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire out of 
heaven, and utterly destroyed the cities and 
the people in them. But for Abraham's 
sake the Lord spared Lot, and he escaped 
with his family to Zoar. But Lot's wife 



ABRAHAM n 

looked back from behind him, and she 
became a pillar of salt. 

Now it came to pass that Sarah had a son, 
as God had promised. And Abraham was 
glad, and Sarah said, c God hath made me to 
laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with 
me.' And they called the boy Isaac. 

But now that Sarah had a son of her own, 
she hated more bitterly Hagar and her son 
Ishmael. So she said to Abraham, 'Cast 
out now Hagar and her son, for Ishmael 
shall not be heir with my son.' And what 
she said grieved Abraham sore, because of 
Ishmael. 

Then God said to Abraham, ' Do as Sarah 
asks, for Ishmael shall yet become the head 
of a great nation/ 

And Abraham rose up early in the morning, 
and took bread and a bottle of water, and 
gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her 
shoulder, and sent her away with the child. 
And Hagar wandered in the desert, and the 
water in the bottle was spent. So she cast 
the child under one of the shrubs, and she 
herself sat down a good way off, for she said, 



12 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

' Let me not see the death of the child.' And 
Hagar lifted up her voice and wept. And 
God heard the voice of the lad, and the angel 
of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and 
said unto her, 'What aileth thee, Hagar? 
Fear not, for God hath heard the voice of 
the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, 
for I will make him a great nation.' And 
God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of 
water, and she went and filled the bottle 
with water, and gave the lad drink. And 
God was with the lad, and he grew, and 
he lived in the wilderness and became an 
archer. 

And it came to pass that God did try 
Abraham to prove him. And God said unto 
him, 'Abraham.' 

He said, ' Behold, here I am.' 

And God said, 'Take now thy son, thine 
own son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get 
thee into the land of Moriah, and offer up 
thy son there for a burnt-offering upon one 
of the mountains which I will tell thee of.' 

And Abraham rose up early in the morn- 
ing, and saddled his ass, and took two of 



ABRAHAM 13 

his young- men with him, and Isaac his son, 
and clave wood for the burnt-offering-, and 
rose up and went unto the place of which 
God had told him. Then in the third day 
Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the 
place afar off. And Abraham said unto his 
young men, * Abide ye here with the ass, 
and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, 
and come again to you.' And Abraham 
took the wood for the burnt-offering, and 
laid it upon Isaac his son ; and he took the 
fire in his hand, and a knife, and they went 
both of them together. 

And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, 
and said, * My father.' 

Abraham said, ■ Here am I, my son.' 

And Isaac said, 'Behold the fire and the 
wood ; but where is the lamb for the burnt- 
offering ? ■ 

And Abraham said, l My son, God will 
provide himself a lamb for a burnt-offering/ 
So they went both of them together. 

And they came to the place which God 
had told him of: and Abraham built an altar 
there, and laid the wood in order, and bound 



14 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon 
the wood. And Abraham stretched forth 
his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. 

And the angel of the Lord called unto 
him out of heaven, and said, 'Abraham, 
Abraham.' 

And Abraham said, ' Here am I.' 

Then the angel said, c Lay not thine hand 
upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto 
him, for now I know that thou dost obey 
God, for thou hast not kept back from me 
thy son/ 

And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, 
and behold behind him a ram, caught in a 
thicket by his horns : and Abraham went 
and took the ram, and offered him up for 
a burnt-offering in the stead of his son. 

Then the angel of the Lord called unto 
Abraham out of heaven the second time, 
saying, ' Because thou hast done this thing, 
and hast not kept back from me thine own 
son, behold I will bless thee, and thy children 
shall become a great nation, as many as the 
stars in heaven and as the sand which is 
upon the seashore in number. And a bless- 




And Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife 
to slay his son 



ABRAHAM 15 

ing shall come to all nations from one of thy 
children's children/ 

And Sarah was an hundred and seven and 
twenty years old ; and Sarah died at Hebron, 
and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and 
to weep for her. And Abraham stood up 
from before his dead, and spake unto the 
sons of Heth. For the land there belonged 
to the sons of Heth. And Abraham said, 
*I am a stranger and a sojourner with you; 
give me a burying-place that I may bury my 
dead out of my sight.' 

And the children of Heth answered, saying, 
c Hear us, my lord. Thou art a mighty prince 
amongst us : in the choice of our sepulchres 
bury thy dead.' 

So Abraham communed with them, saying, 
4 If it be your mind that I should bury my dead, 
hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the 
son of Zohar, that he may give me the cave 
of Machpelah which he hath, which is in 
the end of his field ; for as much money as 
it is worth he shall give it to me.' 

And Ephron answered Abraham, 'Nay, 
my lord, the field I give thee, and the cave 



16 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

that is therein I give it thee ; bury thy 
dead/ 

Then Abraham bowed down himself be- 
fore the people of the land, and spake unto 
Ephron, saying", c But if thou wilt give it, 
I pray thee hear me, I will give thee money 
for the field, take it of me, and I will bury 
my dead there.' 

But Ephron answered, i My lord, hearken 
unto me ; the land is worth four hundred 
shekels of silver : what is that between 
me and thee?' Yet Abraham weighed to 
Ephron the silver which he had named, 
and the field of Ephron and cave which 
was in it was made sure to Abraham for a 
burying-place. 

And Abraham was one hundred and seventy- 
five years old, and the Lord had blessed 
Abraham in all things. Then Abraham died, 
an old man, and was buried in the cave of 
Machpelah. 



And. Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau' 



ISAAC 

While Abraham was old, he had said 
unto the eldest servant of his house, 
'Promise me now that thou shalt not take 
as a wife for my son one of the daughters 
of the people of Canaan. But thou shalt go 
unto my own country and my own people, 
and choose from amongst them a wife for 
my son Isaac* 

And the servant said unto him, 'If now 
the woman whom I choose will not be willing 
to follow me unto this land, must I then bring 
thy son again into the land from whence 
thou earnest ? ' 

Abraham said unto him, 'Thou shalt not 
take my son thither. But the Lord God 
of heaven who led me to this land, and has 
promised to give this land to my children, 
he shall send his angel with thee. And if 
the woman will not be willing to follow thee, 
thou canst do no more : thou hast kept thy 

17 



18 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

promise. Only bring not my son thither/ 
Then the servant promised. 

And the servant took ten camels, and set 
out and came to the city of Nahor in Meso- 
potamia. And he made his camels to kneel 
down without the city by a well of water at 
the time of the evening. And at that time 
the women go to the well to draw water. 

And the servant said, ■ O Lord God, I pray 
thee help me this day, and shew kindness 
unto my master Abraham ! Behold, I stand 
here by the well of water, and the daughters 
of the men of the city come out to draw 
water. Let it now come to pass that the 
damsel who shall say unto me, " Drink, and 
I will give thy camels drink also"; when 
I shall say to her, " Let down thy pitcher, I 
pray thee, that I may drink " : let this be she 
whom thou hast chosen as a wife for thy 
servant Isaac.' 

And it came to pass before he had done 
speaking that, behold, Rebekah came out 
with her pitcher upon her shoulder. And she 
was the daughter of Bethuel, and Bethuel 
was the son of Abraham's brother Nahor. 



ISAAC 19 

Rebekah was very fair to look upon: and 
she went down to the well and filled her 
pitcher, and came up. And the servant ran 
to meet her and said, l Let me, I pray thee, 
drink a little water from thy pitcher.' 

And Rebekah said, * Drink, my lord ' : and 
she hasted, and set down her pitcher upon 
her hand, and gave him drink. And when 
she had done giving him drink, she said, 
1 1 will draw water for thy camels also, until 
they have done drinking.' Then she emptied 
her pitcher into the trough for the camels, 
and ran again unto the well to draw water, 
and drew for all his camels. And the man 
said nothing, but wondered whether God had 
heard him and sent him what he sought. 

When the camels had done drinking, the 
man took a gold ear-ring and two bracelets 
and gave them to Rebekah, and said, 'Whose 
daughter art thou? Tell me, I pray thee, 
is there room in thy father's house for us to 
lodge in ? ' 

And Rebekah said, ■ 1 am the daughter of 
Bethuel the son of Nahor, and we have 
food enough, and room for you to lodge in.' 



20 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

Then the man said, ' Blessed be God, who 
is good to my master Abraham, and has led 
me to the house of my master's brethren.' 

Then Rebekah ran, and told her mother and 
her brother Laban these things ; and Laban 
ran out unto the man unto the well, and said, 
* Come in, for I have prepared the house, and 
room for the camels.' And the man came into 
the house, and Laban gave him straw and food 
for the camels, and water to wash his feet 
and the men's feet that were with him. And 
food was set before him. 

But the man said, *I will not eat until 
I have told thee what I have come for. I 
am Abraham's servant. The Lord hath 
made my master great, and hath given him 
flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and 
man-servants and maid-servants, and camels 
and asses. And Abraham my master hath 
given all that he hath to his son Isaac. My 
master made me promise, saying, "Thou 
shalt not take a wife for my son out of the 
land of Canaan in which I dwell, but thou 
shalt go into the land from whence I came, 
and unto my father's house, and take a 



ISAAC 21 

wife unto my son." Then I said unto my 
master, " But if the woman will not follow 
me?" And he said unto me, "The Lord 
who has been with me, will send his angel 
to direct thee." So I came this day unto 
the well, and said, "O Lord God of my 
master Abraham, behold I stand at the well 
of water. Let it be that when a damsel 
cometh forth to draw water, and I say to 
her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water 
out of thy pitcher to drink, and she say, 
Drink, and I will also draw for thy camels ; 
let that be the woman whom the Lord has 
chosen for my master's son." And before 
I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, 
Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her 
shoulder, and she went down to the well 
and drew water. And I said unto her, " Let 
me drink, I pray thee." And she made 
haste, and let down her pitcher from her 
shoulder, and said, " Drink, and I will give 
thy camels drink also " : so I drank, and she 
made the camels drink also. Then I asked 
her, " Whose daughter art thou ? " and she 
said, "The daughter of Bethuel the son 



22 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

of Nahor." Therefore I bowed my head and 
worshipped the Lord, and thanked the Lord 
God of my master Abraham, who had led 
me in the right way, to take Rebekah 
unto his son. Now tell me if ye will deal 
kindly and truly with my master : and if not, 
tell me.' 

Then Laban and Bethuel answered and 
said, 'We can say nothing; this is the 
Lord's doing. Behold, Rebekah is before 
thee; take her and go, and let her be thy 
master's son's wife.' 

And it came to pass that when Abraham's 
servant heard their words, he worshipped the 
Lord, and bowed himself to the earth. Then 
he brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels 
of gold, and raiment, and gave them to 
Rebekah : he also gave to her brother and 
to her mother precious things. 

And they did eat and drink, he and the 
men that were with him, and tarried all 
night. And they rose up in the morning, 
and the servant said, 'Send me away unto 
my master.' 

But Rebekah's brother and her mother said, 



ISAAC 23 

' Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at 
the least ten : after that she shall go.' 

But he said unto them, * Hinder me not, 
seeing the Lord hath given me what I 
sought : send me away, that I may go to my 
master.' 

So they said, c We will call the damsel and 
ask her.' And they called Rebekah, and said 
unto her, 'Wilt thou go with this man? 
And she said, ' 1 will go.' 

And they sent away Rebekah their sister, 
and her nurse, and Abraham's servant and 
his men. And the servant took Rebekah 
and went his way. And Rebekah and her 
damsels rode upon camels, and followed 
the man. 

Now Isaac went out to pray in the field at 
eventide. And he lifted up his eyes, and 
behold, the camels were coming. 

And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when 
she saw Isaac she alighted from off the 
camel, for she had said unto the servant, 
'What man is this that walketh in the field 
to meet us?' And the servant had said, 
'This is my master.' 



24 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

Then the servant told Isaac all things that 
he had done. And Isaac brought Rebekah 
into his mother's tent, and she became his 
wife, and he loved her. 

Now it came to pass that Rebekah had 
sons, and they were twins. The name of the 
first-born was Esau, and the name of the 
younger was Jacob. And the boys grew; 
and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man who 
lived in the fields. But Jacob was a quiet 
man, dwelling in tents. 

Now Isaac their father loved Esau, because 
he did eat of his venison, but Rebekah loved 
Jacob. 

And Jacob made pottage ; and Esau came 
from the field, and he was faint. 

And Esau said to Jacob, * Feed me, I pray 
thee, with that same pottage, for I am faint.' 

And Jacob said, 'Sell me this day thy 
birthright.' 

And Esau said, c Behold, I am at the point 
to die, and what profit shall this birthright 
do to me ?' And he sold his birthright unto 
Jacob. 

Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage 



ISAAC 25 

of lentils : and he did eat and drink, and rose 
up and went his way: thus Esau despised 
his birthright. 

And it came to pass that when Isaac was 
old and his eyes were dim, so that he could 
not see, he called Esau, his eldest son, and 
said unto him, l My son/ 

And Esau said unto him, i Behold, here I 
am.' 

And Isaac said, c Behold now I am old, I 
know not how soon I may die. Now there- 
fore take, I pray thee, thy quiver and thy 
bow, and go out to the field and hunt, and 
make me savoury meat, such as I love, that 

I may eat. Then will I bless thee before I 
die/ 

And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her 
younger son, saying, 'Behold, I heard thy 
father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, 

II Bring me venison and make me savoury 
meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before I 
die." Now therefore, my son, obey my voice, 
and do that which I command thee. Go now 
to the flock, and fetch me thence two good 
kids, and I will make them savoury meat for 

c 



26 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

thy father, such as he loveth. And thou 
shalt bring it to thy father that he may eat, 
and that he may bless thee before his death.' 

And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, 
* Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, 
and I am a smooth man. If my father feel 
me, I shall seem to him a deceiver, and I shall 
bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing/ 

But his mother said, ' Only obey my voice, 
and go and fetch me the kids.' 

And Jacob went and fetched them, and 
brought them to his mother ; and his mother 
made the savoury meat that his father loved. 

And Rebekah took raiment of her eldest 
son Esau, which was with her in the house, 
and put it upon Jacob, her younger son. 
And she put the skins of the kids upon his 
hands, and upon the smooth part of his neck, 
and Rebekah gave the savoury meat, and the 
bread she had prepared, into the hand of her 
son Jacob. 

And he came unto his father, and said, c My 
father.* And his father said, ' Here am I ; 
who art thou, my son ? * 

And Jacob said unto his father, * I am Esau, 



ISAAC 27 

thy first-born. I have done as thou badest 
me. Arise, I pray thee, and eat of my venison, 
that thou mayest bless me.' 

And Isaac said to his son, c How is it thou 
hast found it so quickly, my son ? ' 

Jacob said, c It is because the Lord thy 
God helped me/ 

Then Isaac said to Jacob, ' Come near, I 
pray, that I may feel thee, my son, whether 
thou be in truth my son Esau or not.' 

And Jacob went near unto Isaac, his 
father; and Isaac felt him, and said, 'The 
voice is Jacobs voice, but the hands are 
the hands of Esau.' 

Then Isaac said again, c Art thou my very 
son Esau ? ' 

And Jacob said, i I am.' 

So Isaac said, c Bring the venison near to 
me.' And Jacob brought it near, and Isaac 
did eat. 

Then his father said unto Jacob, 'Come 
near now and kiss me, my son. 

And Jacob came near and kissed his father, 
and Isaac smelled his raiment, for it smelled 
of the field ; and Isaac blessed Jacob. 



28 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac made 
an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was 
gone out from the presence of his father, 
that Esau his brother came in from his 
hunting. 

Esau also had made savoury meat, and 
brought it unto his father, and said unto 
him, l Let my father arise and eat of his son's 
venison, that he may bless him.' 

And Isaac his father said unto him, l Who 
art thou ? ■ 

He said, C I am thy son, thy first-born, 
Esau.' 

Then Isaac trembled exceedingly, and 
said, * Who ? Where is he who has already 
brought me venison? For I have eaten 
before thou earnest, and blessed him who 
brought it, yea, and he shall be blessed.' 

When Esau heard the words of his father, 
he cried with a great and exceeding bitter 
cry, and said unto his father, ' Bless me, even 
me also, O my father ! ' 

And Isaac said, 'Thy brother came, and 
hath taken away thy blessing.' 

Esau said unto his father, l Hast thou but 



ISAAC 29 

one blessing-, my father ? Bless me, even me 
also, O my father ! ' And Esau lifted up his 
voice and wept. 

Then Isaac blessed Esau also. But Esau 
hated Jacob because of the blessing where- 
with his father had blessed him. 

And Esau said, i When my father is dead, 
then will I slay my brother Jacob/ 

When Rebekah heard the words of Esau, 
she sent and called Jacob, her younger son, 
and said unto him, * Behold, thy brother 
Esau desireth to kill thee. Now therefore, 
my son, obey my voice and arise, and flee 
thou to Laban my brother, and tarry with 
him, till Esau's anger turn away from thee, 
and he forget that which thou hast done 
to him. Then will I send and fetch thee 
again.' 

And Rebekah said to Isaac, * Let us send 
away Jacob our son, to find a wife for himself 
among the daughters of Laban my brother.' 
And they sent Jacob away. 

Then Isaac died, and was buried. 



JACOB 

Now it came to pass that Isaac and Rebekah 
sent their younger son Jacob away to the 
land of Padan-aram, that he might find for 
himself a wife from among the daughters 
of Laban, his mother's brother. 

And Jacob went on till he lighted upon a 
certain place, and there he tarried all night, 
because the sun was set. He took of the 
stones of that place, and put them for his 
pillow, and lay down in that place to sleep. 

And he dreamed, and behold there was 
a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of 
it reached to heaven ; and behold the angels 
of God ascending and descending on it. 
And behold, the Lord stood above it, and 
said, i I am the Lord God of thy father Isaac ; 
the land whereon thou liest, to thee will 
I give it, and to thy children. Behold I am 
with thee, and will keep thee in all places 

whither thou goest, and I will bring thee 

so 




He took of the stones of that place and put them for his pillows 



JACOB 31 

back again to this land, for I will not leave 
thee, till I have done all that which I have 
promised thee.' 

Then Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and 
said, * Surely the Lord is in this place, and I 
knew it not.' And he was afraid, and said, 
* How dreadful is this place ! this is none other 
but the house of God, and this is the gate of 
heaven.' 

And Jacob rose up early in the morning, 
and took the stones that he had put for his 
pillow, and set them up for a pillar, and poured 
oil upon the top of it. And he called the name 
of that place Bethel, that is, the house of God. 

Then Jacob vowed a vow, saying, ' If God 
will be with me, and will keep me in this 
way that I go, and will give me bread to 
eat and raiment to put on, so that I come 
again to my father's house in peace, then 
shall the Lord be my God. And this stone 
which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's 
house : and of all that God gives me, I will 
surely give again to God the tenth part.' 

Then Jacob went on his journey, and came 
into the land of the people of the east. 



32 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

And he looked, and behold a well in the 
field, and lo, there were three flocks of sheep 
lying by it ; for out of that well they watered 
the flocks ; and a great stone was upon the 
well's mouth. Thither were all the flocks 
gathered. And the shepherds rolled the 
stone from the weirs mouth, and watered 
the sheep, and put the stone again upon the 
well's mouth in its place. 

And Jacob said to the shepherds, 'Know 
ye Laban ? ' 

And they said, c We know him/ 

Jacob said to them, c Is he well ? ' 

And they said, 'He is well; and be- 
hold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the 
sheep/ 

And while he yet spake with them, Rachel 
came with her father's sheep, for she kept 
them. 

And it came to pass, when Jacob saw 
Rachel, the daughter of Laban his mother's 
brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's 
brother, that Jacob went near and rolled 
the stone from the well's mouth, and watered 
the flock of Laban his mother's brother. 



JACOB 33 

And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his 
voice, and wept. 

Then Jacob told Rachel that he was 
Rebekah's son, and she ran and told her 
father. 

And it came to pass when Laban heard 
that Jacob his sister's son had come, that 
he ran to meet him, and embraced him 
and kissed him, and brought him to his 
house. And Jacob abode with him a 
month. 

And Laban said, 'Because thou art my 
sister's son, shouldest thou therefore serve 
me for nought? Tell me what shall thy 
wages be ? ' 

Now Laban had two daughters ; the name 
of the elder was Leah, and the name of the 
younger was Rachel. Leah was tender- 
eyed, but Rachel was beautiful ; and Jacob 
loved Rachel. And he said, 'I will serve 
thee seven years for Rachel, that she may 
be my wife.' 

And Laban said, c It is better that I give 
her to thee, than that I should give her to 
another man. Abide with me.' 



34 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

And Jacob served seven years for Rachel ; 
and they seemed to him but a few days, for 
the love he had to her. 

And when the seven years were passed, 
Jacob said to Laban, ' Give me my wife.* 

And Laban made a feast, and brought 
Leah to Jacob. 

But Jacob said to Laban, 'What is this 
thou hast done ? Did not I serve with thee 
for Rachel?' 

And Laban said, * It must not be so done 
in our country to give the younger before 
the first-born/ 

Then Laban said, c Serve me yet other 
seven years, and thou shalt also have 
Rachel.' And Jacob did so, and fulfilled 
seven other years. 

And it came to pass after many years, that 
Jacob said unto Laban, 'Send me away, that 
I may go to my own country. Give me my 
wives and my children, for whom I have 
served thee, and let me go.' 

But Laban said, 'I pray thee tarry, for 
I have learned that the Lord hath blessed 
me for thy sake.' 



JACOB 35 

And Jacob said, ' Appoint me then wages, 
and I will serve thee/ 

And Laban said, c What shall I give thee? 9 

Jacob said, 'Thou shalt not give me any- 
thing. If thou wilt do this thing for me, 
I will again feed and keep thy flock. I 
will pass through all the flock to-day, re- 
moving all the speckled and spotted cattle, 
and all the brown cattle among the sheep, 
and the spotted and speckled among the 
goats, and of such shall be my hire. And 
so in days to come shalt thou know that 
every one that is not speckled and spotted 
among the goats, and brown among the 
sheep, shall be counted stolen by me.' 

And Laban said, l Behold, I would it might 
be as thou sayest'; and he removed the 
speckled cattle according to Jacob's words. 

And Jacob increased exceedingly, and 
had much cattle, and maid-servants, and 
men-servants, and camels, and asses. 

And Jacob heard the words of Laban's 
sons, saying, 'Jacob hath taken away all 
that was our father's/ 

And Jacob beheld the countenance of 



36 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

Laban, and behold, it was not friendly to- 
wards him as before. 

Then the Lord said to Jacob, * Return 
unto the land of thy father, and I will be 
with thee/ 

And Jacob sent and called Rachel and 
Leah to the field unto his flock, and said 
unto them, i I see your father's countenance, 
that it is not toward me as before, but the 
God of my father hath been with me : and 
ye know that with all my power I have 
served your father. And behold now the 
countenance of your father is no longer 
friendly towards me, but God has not suffered 
him to hurt me. And now the angel of God 
spake unto me in a dream, saying, "Jacob, 
arise, get thee out from this land, and return 
unto the land of thy fathers."' 

And Rachel and Leah answered and said 
unto him, ' Now, then, whatsoever God hath 
said unto thee, do.' 

Then Jacob rose up and set his sons and 
his wives upon camels ; and he carried away 
all his cattle, and all his goods which he had 
gotten, to go to the land of Canaan. 



JACOB 37 

And Jacob stole away, and told Laban not 
that he fled. So he fled with all that he had, 
and he passed over the river, and set his 
face toward mount Gilead. 

And Rachel had stolen the images that 
were her father's, but Jacob knew not that 
she had stolen them. 

And it was told Laban on the third day 
that Jacob was fled; and he followed after 
him for seven days, and Laban overtook 
Jacob in the mount Gilead. 

And God came to Laban in a dream by 
night, and said unto him, 'Take heed that 
thou do no harm to Jacob.' 

Then Laban overtook Jacob, and said to 
him, 'What hast thou done, that thou hast 
stolen away unawares to me? Wherefore 
didst thou not tell me, that I might have sent 
thee away with mirth and with songs ? and 
thou hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and 
my daughters. Thou hast now done foolishly. 
It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt ; 
but the God of your father spake to me 
yesternight, saying, "Take heed that thou 
harm not Jacob my servant." And now, 



38 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

though thou wouldest needs be gone, because 
thou sore longedst after thy father's house, 
yet wherefore hast thou stolen my images ? ' 

Now Jacob knew not that Rachel had 
stolen them. Therefore he answered and 
said, 'With whomsoever thou findest thy 
images, let him not live/ 

And Laban searched in all the tents, but 
found them not, for Rachel had hidden them 
in the camel's furniture. 

Then Jacob was wroth, and chid with 
Laban and said, c Whereas thou hast searched 
all my stuff, what hast thou found ? Set it 
here before my brethren, that they may judge 
between us both.' 

And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, 
'These daughters are my daughters, and 
these children are my children, and these 
cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest 
is mine; and what can I do this day unto 
these my daughters, or unto their children ? 
Now therefore, come, let us make a cove- 
nant, I and thou, and let it be for a witness 
between me and thee.' 

And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a 



JACOB 39 

pillar. And he said to his men-servants, 
'Gather stones/ And they took stones and 
made an heap, and they did eat there upon 
the heap. 

And Laban said, 'This heap is a witness 
between me and thee.' And he called the name 
of it Mizpah, for he said, 'The Lord watch 
between me and thee, when we are absent 
one from the other.' 

Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the 
mount Gilead, and they did eat bread and 
tarried all night in the mount. 

And early in the morning Laban rose up, 
and kissed his sons and his daughters, and 
blessed them. 

Then Laban departed, and returned unto 
his place. 

And Jacob went on his way ; and he sent 
messengers before him unto Esau his 
brother, and he commanded them, saying, 
'Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau, 
"Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have 
sojourned with Laban and stayed there until 
now, and I have oxen and asses, flocks, and 
men-servants and women-servants, and I 



40 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

have sent to tell my lord, that I may find 
grace in thy sight."' 

And the messengers returned to Jacob, 
saying, * We came to thy brother Esau, and 
also he cometh to meet thee, and four 
hundred men with him.' 

Then Jacob was greatly afraid and dis- 
tressed ; and he divided the people that was 
with him, and the flocks and herds and 
camels, into two bands. 

And he said, 'If Esau come to the one 
company and smite it, then the other com- 
pany which is left shall escape.' 

Then Jacob prayed, ' O God of my father 
Isaac, the Lord which said unto me, " Return 
unto thy country and to thy kindred, and I 
will deal well with thee," deliver me, I pray 
thee, from the hand of my brother Esau, for 
I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, 
and the mother with the children.' 

And Jacob lodged there that same night, 
and he got ready a present for Esau his 
brother; two hundred she -goats, and 
twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes, and 
twenty rams, thirty camels with their colts, 



JACOB 41 

forty kine and ten bulls, twenty she-asses and 
ten foals. And he delivered them into the 
hand of his servants, every drove by them- 
selves, and said unto his servants, 'Pass 
over before me, and put a space between 
drove and drove/ 

And Jacob commanded the foremost, say- 
ing, 'When Esau my brother meeteth thee 
and asketh thee, saying, "Whose art thou, 
and whither goest thou, and whose are these 
before thee?" then thou shalt say, "They be 
thy servant Jacob's. It is a present sent 
unto my lord Esau ; and behold also thy 
servant Jacob is behind us." ■ 

And so commanded Jacob the second and 
the third, and all that followed the droves, 
saying, c On this manner shall ye speak unto 
Esau, when ye find him.' 

For Jacob said, c I will first give him the 
present that goeth before me, and afterward 
I will see his face, and peradventure he will 
accept of me.' So went the present over 
before him. 

And Jacob rose up that night, and took his 
two wives, and his two women-servants, and 

D 



42 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

his eleven sons; and he took them and 
sent them over the brook. 

And Jacob was left alone, and there 
wrestled a man with him, unto the breaking 
of the day. And when the man saw that he 
prevailed not against Jacob, he touched the 
hollow of his thigh ; and the hollow of Jacob's 
thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with 
him. And the man said, ' Let me go, for the 
day breaketh ' ; and Jacob said, * I will not let 
thee go except thou bless me/ 

And the man said, 'What is thy name?' 

And he answered, i Jacob.' 

And the man said, 'Thy name shall be 
called no more Jacob, but Israel, for as a 
prince hast thou power with God and with 
men.' 

And Jacob asked him and said, 4 Tell me, 
I pray thee, thy name/ 

And the man said, * Wherefore is it that 
thou dost ask after my name?' And he 
blessed Jacob there. 

And Jacob called the name of the place 
Peniel : for * I have seen God face to face, 
and my life is preserved/ 

And at break of day Jacob lifted up his 



JACOB 43 

eyes and looked, and behold, Esau came, and 
with him four hundred men. And Jacob 
passed over before Rachel and Leah and the 
children, and bowed himself to the ground 
seven times, until he came near to his 
brother. 

And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced 
him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and 
they wept. 

And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the 
women and the children. And Esau said, 
* Who are those with thee ? ■ 

And Jacob said, * The children which God 
hath graciously given thy servant.' 

Then Esau said, ' What meanest thou by 
all this drove which I met ? ' 

And he said, i These are to find grace in 
the sight of my lord.' 

But Esau said, * I have enough, my brother ; 
keep that thou hast unto thyself.' 

And Jacob said, c Nay, I pray thee, if now 
I have found grace in thy sight, then receive 
my present at my hand * ; and he urged Esau, 
and Esau took it 

And Esau said, c Let us take our journey 
together, and I will go before thee.' 



44 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

But Jacob said, * My lord knoweth that the 
children are tender, and if one should over- 
drive the flock, they will die. Let my lord 
therefore pass on before his servant, and I 
will follow as the cattle that goeth before me 
and the children are able to endure.' So 
Esau returned that day to his own land. 

And God said, ' Arise, go up to Bethel and 
dwell there, and make there an altar unto 
God, that appeared unto thee, when thou 
fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.' 

Then Jacob said to his household and all 
that were with him, l Let us arise and go up 
to Bethel, and I will make there an altar 
unto God, who answered me in the day of 
my distress.' 

So Jacob journeyed to Bethel; and he 
built there an altar, and called it El-bethel, 
because there God appeared unto him, when 
he fled from the face of his brother. 

And God said to Jacob, 'Thy name shall 
not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall 
be thy name.' And he called his name Israel. 

And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his 
father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. 



JOSEPH 

Now the sons of Jacob were twelve, and 
Joseph and Benjamin, the children of Rachel, 
were the youngest of Jacob's sons. And when 
Joseph was seventeen years old, he was feed- 
ing the flock with his brethren. And Joseph 
brought home an evil report of his brothers. 

Now Jacob loved Joseph more than all his 
children, because he was the son of Rachel 
and of his old age ; and he made him a coat 
of many colours. And when his brethren saw 
that their father loved him more than all 
his brethren, they hated Joseph, and could 
not speak peaceably unto him. 

And Joseph dreamed a dream ; and he told 
it to his brethren, and they hated him yet 
the more. And Joseph said unto them, 
« Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have 
dreamed. For behold, we were binding 
sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf arose, 
and also stood upright, and behold, your 
sheaves stood round about and made obeis- 

45 



46 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

ance to my sheaf/ And his brethren said to 
Joseph, l Dost thou indeed think thou shalt 
reign over us ? ' And they hated him yet the 
more for his dreams, and for his words. 

And Joseph dreamed yet another dream, 
and told it to his brethren, and said, l Behold, 
I have dreamed a dream more, and behold 
the sun, and the moon, and the eleven stars 
made obeisance to me.' And he told his 
father also. And his father rebuked him, 
and said unto him, * What is this dream that 
thou hast dreamed? Shall I, thy mother, 
and thy brethren indeed come to bow down 
ourselves to thee to the earth?' And his 
brethren envied him, but his father re- 
membered the dream. 

Now his brethren went to feed their 
father's flock in Shechem. And Jacob said 
unto Joseph, i Come, I will send thee to thy 
brethren.' And Joseph said, ' Here am I.' 

And Jacob said, ■ Go, I n pray thee, see 
whether it be well with thy brethren and 
well with the flocks, and bring me word 
again.' 

And when Joseph's brethren saw him afar 




They said one to another, ' Behold this dreamer cometh" 



JOSEPH 47 

off, even before he came near, they said one 
to another, i Behold, this dreamer cometh. 
Come now, therefore, and let us slay him, 
and cast him into some pit, and we will say, 
"Some evil beast hath devoured him " ; and 
we shall see what will become of his dreams. 

And Reuben, one of his brothers, said, 
1 Let us not kill him, but cast him into this 
pit that is in the wilderness/ For Reuben 
wished to take him out of their hands to 
deliver him to his father. 

Now it came to pass, when Joseph was 
come unto his brethren, that they stript 
Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many 
colours, that was on him. And they took 
him and cast him into a pit ; and the pit was 
empty, there was no water in it. 

And Joseph's brethren sat down to eat 
bread, and they lifted up their eyes and 
looked, and behold, a company of merchants 
came with their camels, bearing spicery and 
balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to 
Egypt. 

Then Judah said to his brethren, c Come and 
let us sell Joseph to these merchants/ And 



48 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

his brethren were content. But Reuben was 
not with them. And they drew and lifted up 
Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the 
merchantmen for twenty pieces of silver; 
and Joseph was taken into Egypt. 

And Reuben returned unto the pit, and 
behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he 
rent his clothes, and he returned to his 
brethren and said, 'The child is not ; and I, 
whither shall I go ? ' 

And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a 
kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the 
blood; and they brought the coat of many 
colours to their father and said, 'This have 
we found : know now whether it be thy son's 
coat or no.' 

And Jacob knew it and said, 'It is my 
son's coat : an evil beast hath devoured him. 
Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.* And 
Jacob mourned for his son many days. And 
all his sons and his daughters rose up to 
comfort him ; but he refused to be comforted, 
and said, c For I will go down into the grave 
unto my son mourning.' Thus his father 
wept for him. 



JOSEPH 49 

And the merchants who bought Joseph 
sold him into Egypt, unto Potiphar, an 
officer of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. 

And Joseph found favour in the sight of 
his master, and Potiphar made Joseph over- 
seer over his house. And the Lord blessed 
Potiphar's house for Joseph's sake. 

But Potiphar's wife was angry with Joseph, 
and spake evil about him to Potiphar ; there- 
fore Potiphar took Joseph and put him into 
the prison, a place where the king's prisoners 
were bound. 

But the Lord was with Joseph, and gave 
him favour in the sight of the keeper of the 
prison. And the keeper of the prison com- 
mitted to Joseph's hand all the prisoners. 
And all that Joseph did, the Lord made it to 
prosper. 

And it came to pass after these things, 
that the butler of the king of Egypt and his 
baker had offended their lord, the king of 
Egypt. And Pharaoh was wroth against 
them, and put them into prison, the place 
where Joseph was. And the captain of the 
guard charged Joseph with them. 



50 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

And they dreamed a dream, both the but- 
ler and the baker of the king of Egypt 

And Joseph came in unto them in the 
morning, and looked upon them, and behold, 
they were sad. And Joseph said, * Where- 
fore look ye so sadly to-day?' They said 
unto him, ' We have dreamed a dream, and 
there is no man to tell us the meaning of it/ 

Then the chief butler told his dream to 
Joseph, and said unto him, * In my dream, 
behold, a vine was before me; and in the 
vine were three branches; and it was as 
though it budded, and her blossoms shot 
forth, and the clusters thereof brought forth 
ripe grapes. And Pharaoh's cup was in my 
hand, and I took the grapes, and pressed 
them into Pharaoh's cup.' 

And Joseph said unto him, 'This is the 
meaning of it. The three branches are three 
days. Yet within three days shall Pharaoh 
lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy 
place : and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup 
into his hand, as thou wert used to do. But 
remember me,' said Joseph, 'when it is well 
with thee, and speak for me to Pharaoh that 



JOSEPH 51 

he bring me out of this prison, for indeed I 
was stolen away out of the land of Canaan ; 
and here also have I done nothing that they 
should put me into this dungeon.' 

Now when the chief baker saw that the 
meaning of the butler's dream was good, he 
said unto Joseph, 1 1 also saw in my dream, 
and behold, I had three white baskets on my 
head ; and in the uppermost basket there 
were all kinds of cakes for Pharaoh, and 
the birds did eat them out of the basket 
upon my head.' 

And Joseph answered and said, 'This is 
the meaning. The three baskets are three 
days. Yet within three days shall Pharaoh 
hang thee on a tree, and the birds shall eat 
thy flesh from thee.' And it came to pass 
the third day, which was Pharaoh's birth- 
day, that he made a feast unto all his 
servants, and he restored the chief butler to 
be butler again, but he hanged the chief 
baker, as Joseph had foretold. Yet did not 
the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat 
him. 

Now it came to pass at the end of two full 



52 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

years that Pharaoh dreamed a dream, and 
in the morning he was troubled in spirit, 
because the meaning was hid from him. So 
he sent and called for all the wise men in 
Egypt, but none of them could tell him what 
the dream meant. 

Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, 
saying, c I do remember my faults this day. 
When Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, 
and put both me and the chief baker in 
prison, we dreamed a dream in one night, 
both I and he. And there was there with us 
a young man, and we asked him, and he told 
to each of us the meaning of his dream. 
And all that he told us came to pass.' 

So Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph; 
and they brought him hastily out of the 
prison, and he came in unto Pharaoh. 

And Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'I have 
dreamed a dream; and I have heard that 
thou canst understand dreams and tell the 
meaning thereof. And Joseph answered, 
'It is not in me to do this, but God shall 
give Pharaoh an answer in peace.' 

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'In my 




And Joseph answered and said, "This is the meaning thereof" 



JOSEPH 53 

dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the 
river ; and behold, there came up out of the 
river seven kine, fat and healthy, and they 
fed in a meadow. And behold, seven other 
kine came up after them, poor and ill-looking 
and very lean, such as I never saw in all the 
land of Egypt for badness. And the lean 
kine did eat up the first seven fat kine. And 
when they had eaten them up, it could not 
be known that they had eaten them, for 
they were still as poor and ill-looking as at 
the beginning. So I awoke. And again I 
dreamed, and behold, seven ears came up in 
one stalk, full and good. And behold, seven 
ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east 
wind, sprang up after them. And the thin 
ears eat up the seven good ears ; and I told 
this unto the wise men, but none could tell 
me the meaning of it.' 

Then Joseph said unto Pharaoh, i God has 
shewn Pharaoh in his dream what he is 
about to do. The seven good kine are seven 
years, and the seven good ears are seven 
years. Both dreams have the same meaning. 
And the seven thin and wretched kine that 



54 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

came up after them are seven years, and the 
seven empty ears blasted with east wind are 
seven years. What God is about to do he 
sheweth unto Pharaoh. For behold, there 
come seven years of great plenty throughout 
all the land of Egypt, and there shall arise 
after them seven years of famine, so grievous 
that the seven years of plenty shall be for- 
gotten. And God hath shewn these things 
to Pharaoh in two dreams, because he will 
shortly bring it to pass. Now therefore 
let Pharaoh look out a wise and careful 
man, and set him over the land of Egypt, 
and let this man appoint officers to gather 
into storehouses the food that is not needed 
in the seven years of plenty. And this store 
of food will feed the people lest they die of 
hunger during the seven years of famine.' 
And what Joseph said seemed good in the 
eyes of Pharaoh. 

And Pharaoh said to his servants, * Can we 
find such an one as this is, a man in whom 
the Spirit of God is?' And Pharaoh said 
unto Joseph, i As God has showed thee these 
things, there is none so wise as thou art. 



JOSEPH 55 

Behold, thou shalt be over all the land of 
Egypt, and all my people shall be ruled by 
thy words/ Then Pharaoh took off his ring 
from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's 
hand, and clothed him in white linen, and 
put a gold chain about his neck. And he 
made him to ride in a chariot ; and the people 
cried before him, * Bow the knee.' 

So Joseph was ruler over the land of Egypt 
under Pharaoh. And in the seven years of 
plenty Joseph gathered corn as the sand of 
the sea very much, and stored it in store- 
houses in the cities. 

And the seven years of plenty were ended, 
and the seven years of dearth began to come, 
according as Joseph had said. And the famine 
was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt 
there was bread. And when the people of 
Egypt cried unto Pharaoh for bread, Pharaoh 
said to the Egyptians, * Go unto Joseph, and 
the thing he says unto you, do.' And Joseph 
opened the storehouses and sold corn to the 
Egyptians. 

Now the famine was sore in the land 
of Canaan as in the land of Egypt; and 



56 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

it came to pass that when Jacob, Joseph's 
father, heard that there was corn in Egypt, 
he said to his sons, l Get you down to Egypt, 
and buy corn for us there, that we may live 
and not die/ And Joseph's brethren went 
down to buy corn in Egypt. But Benjamin, 
Jacob's youngest son, did he not send with 
them, for he was afraid that evil might befall 
him. 

And when Joseph's brethren came into the 
land of Egypt, into the presence of Joseph, 
they bowed themselves before him with their 
faces to the ground. And Joseph saw his 
brethren, and he knew them ; but they knew 
not Joseph. And Joseph remembered the 
dreams which he had dreamed about them, 
and he spake roughly to them, and said, 
1 Whence came ye ? ' They said, ' From the 
land of Canaan to buy food.' 

And Joseph said, l Nay, but ye are spies, 
and to see how poor the land is are ye come/ 
Nay, my lord,' they said, 'but to buy food 
are thy servants come. We are all one man's 
sons ; we are true men, thy servants are no 
spies.' 



JOSEPH 57 

And Joseph again said, 'Nay, but to spy- 
how poor the land is are ye come.' 

And they said, 'Thy servants are twelve 
brethren, the sons of one man in the land of 
Canaan, and behold, the youngest is this day 
with our father, and one is not.' 

Then Joseph answered, 'Nay, but ye are 
spies, and hereby shall ye be proved. Behold, 
ye shall not go from here until your youngest 
brother come hither. Send therefore one of 
you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye 
shall be kept in prison, that your words may 
be proved whether there be any truth in you/ 
And he put them all together into prison 
there. 

And Joseph said to them the third day, 
1 This do and live, for I fear God. Let one 
of your brethren remain here bound in the 
prison until ye bring your youngest brother 
unto me, and go ye carry corn for the famine 
of your houses.' 

When they heard this, they said one to 
the other, c This distress has come upon us 
because we did evil to Joseph our brother, 
and when he begged us to treat him kindly, 

E 



58 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

we would not/ And Reuben said, l Spake I 
not unto you, saying-, "Do not sin against 
the child, and ye would not hear"?' They 
knew not that Joseph understood, for he had 
spoken to them by an interpreter. 

And Joseph turned himself about from 
them and wept, and returned to them again, 
and took from them Simeon, and bound him 
before their eyes. 

Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks 
with corn, and to restore every man's money 
into his sack, and to give them provision for 
their journey. And they laded their asses 
with corn and they went on their way. 

And as one of them opened his sack to 
give his ass food, he espied his money, for 
behold, it was in his sack's mouth. And he 
said unto his brethren, 'My money is 
restored, and lo, it is even in my sack/ And 
their hearts failed them, and they were afraid, 
saying one to another, 'What is this that 
God hath done unto us ? ' 

Now when they came into Canaan unto Jacob 
their father, they told him what had befallen 
them. And it came to pass that they emptied 



JOSEPH 59 

their sacks, and behold, every man's bundle of 
money was in his sack. And when both they 
and their father saw the bundles of money, 
they were afraid. 

And Jacob their father said unto them, 
'Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph 
is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take 
Benjamin away.' 

And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, 
'Slay my two sons if I bring not Benjamin 
back to thee. Deliver him into my hand, 
and I will bring him to thee again.' 

Then Jacob said, ' My son shall not go 
down with you, for his brother is dead, and he 
is left alone. If mischief befall him by the 
way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring 
down my gray hairs with sorrow to the 
grave.' 

And the famine was sore in the land of 
Canaan. And it came to pass, when they 
had eaten of the corn which they had brought 
out of Egypt, their father said unto them, 
'Go again, buy us a little food.' 

But Judah answered, 'The man did 
solemnly say, "Ye shall not see my face 



60 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

except your youngest brother be with you." 
If thou wilt send our brother with us, we 
will go and buy thee food. Send the lad 
with me: I will be surety for him, and if I 
bring him not unto thee, and set him before 
thee, then let me bear the blame for ever.' 

And Jacob said to them, 'If it must be 
so now, do this. Take of the best fruits in 
the land in your vessels, and carry down to 
the man a present, a little balm, and a little 
honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds. 
And take double money in your hand ; and 
the money that was brought again in the 
mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your 
hand, peradventure it was an oversight. 
Take also your brother, and arise, go again 
unto the man. And God Almighty give 
you mercy before the man, that he may send 
away your other brother and Benjamin.' 

Then the men rose up, and went down to 
Egypt, and stood before Joseph. 

And when Joseph saw Benjamin with 
them, he said to the ruler of his house, 
1 Bring these men home and make ready, 
for they shall dine with me at noon.' And 



JOSEPH 61 

the man did as Joseph bade, and brought 
the men into Joseph's house. 

Now the men were afraid, for they thought, 
* Because of the money that was returned 
in our sacks are we brought in, that he may 
seek a cause of complaint against us, and 
take us, and make us his bondmen/ 

And they came near to the steward of 
Joseph's house, and said, 'O sir, we came 
indeed down at the first time to buy food ; 
and it came to pass when we came to the 
inn that we opened our sacks, and behold, 
every man's money was in the mouth of 
his sack. That money have we brought 
again in our hands, and other money have 
we brought down also to buy food. We 
cannot tell who put our money in our 
sacks/ 

Then the steward said, * Peace be to you ; 
fear not, your God and the God of your father 
hath given you treasure in your sacks/ And 
he brought Simeon out unto them. 

Then the man brought the men into 
Joseph's house, and gave them water, and 
he washed their feet, and gave food to their 



62 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

asses. And they made ready their present 
for Joseph, for they heard that they should 
eat bread there. 

And when Joseph came home, they 
brought him the present which was in their 
hand into the house, and bowed themselves 
to him to the earth. 

And he asked them of their welfare, and 
said, 'Is your father well, the old man of 
whom ye spake ? is he yet alive ? ' 

They answered, 'Thy servant our father 
is in good health ; he is yet alive.' And they 
bowed down their heads with reverence. 

And Joseph lifted up his eyes, and saw 
his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and 
said, c Is this your youngest brother of whom 
ye spake to me?' And he said, 'God be 
gracious unto thee, my son.' 

Then Joseph made haste, for his heart 
went out to his brother, and he sought 
where to weep, and he entered into his 
chamber and wept there. And he washed 
his face, and returned to his brethren. 

Then he ordered his servants to set food 
before his brothers, and he sent them dainties 



JOSEPH 63 

from his own table. But Benjamin's portion 
was five times as much as any of theirs. 
And they drank and were merry with him. 

And Joseph commanded the steward over 
his house, saying, ' Fill the men's sacks with 
food, as much as they can carry, and put 
every man's money in his sack's mouth. And 
put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth 
of the sack of the youngest, and his corn 
money.' And he did as Joseph had told him. 

Now as soon as the morning was light the 
men were sent away, they and their asses. 
And when they were gone out of the city, 
and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his 
steward, 'Up, follow after the men, and 
when thou dost overtake them, say unto 
them, "Wherefore have ye done evil in 
return for good? Ye have done wrong to 
take away the cup from which my lord 
drinketh."' 

And the steward overtook them, and spake 
unto Joseph's brethren these same words. 

They said unto him, ■ Wherefore saith my 
lord these words? God forbid that thy 
servants should do this thing. Behold, did 



64 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

we not bring again unto thee out of the 
land of Canaan the money which we found 
in our sacks' mouths ? How then should we 
steal of thy lord's house silver or gold ? If 
thy lord's cup be found with any of thy 
servants, let that one die, and we, all of us, 
shall be thy bondsmen.' 

And the steward said, 'Nay, but he with 
whom the cup shall be found will be. my 
servant, and ye shall be blameless.' 

Then they speedily took down every man 
his sack to the ground, and opened every 
man his sack. And the steward searched, 
and began at the eldest, and left at the 
youngest: and the cup was found in Ben- 
jamin's sack. Then they rent their clothes, 
and laded every man his ass, and returned 
to the city. 

And Judah and his brethren came to 
Joseph's house, for he was yet there, and 
they fell before him on the ground. Then 
Joseph said unto them, 'What deed is 
this that ye have done ? Do ye not know that 
God has given me power to discover what 
is hidden ? ■ 



JOSEPH 65 

And Judah said, ' What shall we say unto 
my lord? What shall we speak, or how 
shall we clear ourselves? God hath found 
out the sin of thy servants : behold, we are 
my lord's servants, both we, and he also 
with whom the cup is found.' 

But Joseph said, i God forbid that I should 
punish you ; but the man in whose hand the 
cup is found, he shall be my servant : and 
as for you, get you up in peace unto your 
father.' 

Then Judah came near to Joseph, and 
said, c O my lord, let thy servant, I pray 
thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and 
let not thine anger burn against thy servant. 
My lord asked his servants, saying, " Have 
ye a father or a brother ? " And we said unto 
my lord, "We have a father, an old man, 
and he has a child of his old age, a little 
one, and his brother is dead, and his father 
loveth him." And thou saidst unto thy 
servants, "Bring him down unto me, that 
I may set mine eyes upon him." And we 
said unto my lord, "The lad cannot leave 
his father ; for if he should leave his father, 



66 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

his father would die." And thou saidst 
unto thy servants, " Except your youngest 
brother come down with you, ye shall see 
my face no more." And it came to pass 
when we came up to thy servant my father, 
we told him the words of my lord. And 
our father said, "Go again, and buy us a 
little food." And we said, "We cannot go 
down ; if our youngest brother be with us, 
then will we go down ; for we may not see 
the man's face, except our youngest brother 
be with us." And thy servant my father 
said, "Joseph went from me, and is torn 
of wild beasts, and I saw him not since. 
If now ye take Benjamin also, and mischief 
befall him, ye shall bring down my gray 
hairs with sorrow to the grave." And there- 
fore when I come to thy servant my father, 
and the lad is not with us, seeing that his 
life is bound up with the lad's life, it shall 
come to pass, when he seeth that the lad 
is not with us, that he will die: and thy 
servants shall bring down the gray hairs 
of thy servant our father with sorrow to 
the grave. For thy servant became surety 



JOSEPH 67 

for the lad unto my father, saying, "If I 
bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear 
the blame unto my father for ever." Now 
therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide 
instead of the lad a bondman to my lord: 
and let the lad go up with his brethren. 
For how shall I go up to my father, and the 
lad be not with me ? ' 

Then Joseph cried, * Cause every man to 
go out from me.' And there stood no man 
with him, while Joseph made himself known 
unto his brethren. And he wept aloud, and 
said to his brethren, 'I am Joseph. Doth 
my father yet live ? ' 

And his brethren could not answer him, 
for they were troubled at seeing him. 

But Joseph said, c Come near to me, I pray 
you ; be not grieved, nor angry with your- 
selves that ye sold me hither, for God did 
send me before you to save your lives. For 
these two years hath the famine been in the 
land: and yet there are five years to come 
during which the corn shall not ripen nor be 
gathered in harvest. So now it was not you 
who sent me hither, but God : and he hath 



68 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

made me lord of Pharaoh's house, and a 
ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. 
Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say 
unto him, " Thus saith thy son Joseph, God 
hath made me lord of all Egypt ; come down 
unto me, tarry not. And thou shalt dwell 
in the land of Goshen, thou, and thy children, 
and thy children's children, and thy flocks, 
and thy herds, and all that thou hast. And 
there will I nourish thee, for yet there are 
five years of famine, lest thou and thy 
household, and all that thou hast, come to 
poverty." And behold, your eyes see, and 
the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is 
my mouth that speaketh unto you. And ye 
shall tell my father of all the glory of Egypt, 
and of all that ye have seen, and ye shall 
haste and bring down my father hither/ And 
he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck and 
wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck. 
Moreover, he kissed all his brothers, and 
wept upon them, and after that his brethren 
talked with him. 

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, * Say unto 
thy brethren, " This do ye ; lade your beasts, 



JOSEPH 69 

and go, get you unto the land of Canaan. 
And take your father, and your households, 
and come unto me : and I will give you the 
good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat of 
the best things in the land. Now thou art 
commanded, this do ye: take you wagons 
out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, 
and for your wives, and bring your father, 
and come.' 

And the sons of Jacob did so : and Joseph 
gave them wagons and provisions for the 
way. To all of them he gave each man 
changes of raiment ; but to Benjamin he 
gave three hundred pieces of silver and five 
changes of raiment. And to his father he 
sent ten asses laden with good things of 
Egypt, and ten she-asses laden with corn and 
bread and meat for his father by the way. 
So he sent his brethren away, and they 
departed. 

And they went up out of the land of Egypt, 
and came unto the land of Canaan unto 
Jacob their father, and told him, saying, 
1 Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over 
all the land of Egypt/ But Jacob's heart 



70 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

fainted, for he believed them not. And they 
told him all the words of Joseph, which he 
had said unto them. Then when Jacob saw 
the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry 
him, Jacob said, c It is enough : Joseph my 
son is yet alive : I will go and see him before 
I die/ 

And Jacob took his journey with all that 
he had, and came into the land of Egypt. 

And Joseph made ready his chariot, and 
went out to meet his father. And when his 
father saw him, he fell on his neck, and wept 
on his neck a good while. 

Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and 
said, * My father, and my brethren, and their 
flocks and their herds, and all that they have, 
are come out of the land of Canaan.' And 
Joseph took five of his brethren and pre- 
sented them unto Pharaoh. 

And Pharaoh asked them, saying, c What 
is your work ? ' 

And they said, l We are shepherds, and to 
sojourn in the land are we come; for the 
famine is sore in the land of Canaan, and 
there is no pasture for our flocks/ 



JOSEPH 71 

Then Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, 'The 
land of Egypt is before thee; in the best 
of the land make thy father and brethren 
to dwell, in the land of Goshen let them 
dwell/ 

And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, 
and set him before Pharaoh; and Jacob 
blessed Pharaoh. 

Pharaoh then said unto Jacob, 'How old 
art thou ? 

And Jacob answered, 'The days of the 
years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and 
thirty years ; few and evil have the days of 
the years of my life been.' And Jacob blessed 
Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh. 

Then Joseph placed his father and breth- 
ren in the best of the land, as Pharaoh had 
commanded ; and he gave bread to his father 
and his brethren, and all his father's house- 
hold. 

And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt 
seventeen years, and the time drew nigh that 
he must die. So he called his son Joseph, 
and said unto him, 'Deal kindly and truly 
with me ; bury me not, I pray thee, in the 



72 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

land of Egypt, but carry me to the land of 
Canaan, and let me lie with my fathers in 
their burying-place.' 

Joseph answered, 1 1 will do as thou hast 
said.' 

And it came to pass after these things 
that one told Joseph, l Behold, thy father is 
sick.' And Joseph took with him his two 
sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 

Then one told Jacob and said, * Behold, thy 
son Joseph cometh to thee.' And Jacob 
strengthened himself and sat upon the 
bed. 

And Jacob beheld Joseph's sons and said, 
* Who are these ? ' 

Joseph said, c They are my sons, whom 
God has given me in this place.' 

And Jacob said, ' Bring them, I pray thee, 
unto me, and I will bless them.' 

Now the eyes of Jacob were dim for age, so 
that he could not see : and he drew them near 
unto him, and kissed them, and embraced 
them. And Jacob said to Joseph, ' 1 had not 
thought to see thy face again, and lo, God 
hath shewed me thy children.' And Jacob 



JOSEPH 73 

stretched out his right hand and laid it upon 
Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and 
his left hand laid he upon Manasseh's head, 
who was the first-born. And Jacob blessed 
Joseph and his sons, and said, i God, who has 
fed me all my life long unto this day, and 
who has led me away from evil, bless the 
lads, and let them grow into a great nation 
upon the earth.' 

And when Joseph saw that his father laid 
his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it 
displeased him, and he held up his father's 
hand to take it from Ephraim's head and to 
put it upon Manasseh's head, saying, 'This 
is the first-born ; put thy right hand upon his 
head.' 

But his father refused and said, 'I know 
it, my son, I know it ; he also shall become a 
great people, and he also shall be great, but 
truly his younger brother shall be greater 
than he/ And Jacob said unto Joseph, 
* Behold, I die, but God shall be with you, 
and shall bring you back again to the land of 
your fathers.' 

And it came to pass that Jacob died ; and 



74 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept 
upon him, and kissed him. 

Then Joseph spake to Pharaoh, saying, 
* My father made me swear, saying, " Lo, I 
die ; in my grave which I have digged for me 
in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury 
me." Now therefore let me go up, I pray 
thee, and bury my father, and I will come 
again.' 

And Pharaoh said, c Go up and bury thy 
father'; and Joseph went, and with him his 
sons and his brethren, and a great company. 
And they buried Jacob as he had com- 
manded them. 

Then Joseph returned into Egypt, and 
when Joseph's brethren saw that their 
father was dead, they said among them- 
selves, i Joseph will hate us, and will cer- 
tainly seek to do us evil for the evil we did 
unto him.' So they sent a messenger to 
Joseph, saying, 'Thy father did command 
before he died, saying, " So shall ye say to 
Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the sin 
of thy brethren, for they did evil unto 
thee."' 



JOSEPH 75 

And Joseph wept when they spake unto 
him, and his brethren went and fell down 
before his face, and said, l Behold, we are thy 
servants/ 

But Joseph said unto them, l Fear not ; ye 
thought evil against me, but God meant it 
unto good. Fear not, I will nourish you and 
your little ones.' And he comforted them, 
and spake kindly unto them. 

And Joseph lived an hundred and ten years ; 
and he said, ■ Behold, I die, but God shall 
surely visit you, and bring you out of this 
land, to the land which he promised Abraham 
and Isaac and Jacob to give you.' So Joseph 
died. 



MOSES 

Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, 
which knew not Joseph. And he said, 
1 Behold, the people of the children of Israel 
are more and mightier than we. Come on, 
and let us deal wisely with them, lest they 
become too many, and it come to pass that, 
when there falleth out any war, they join also 
unto our enemies, and fight against us.' 

Therefore they did set over the children 
of Israel task-masters to afflict them with 
their burdens. But the more they afflicted 
them, the more they grew. 

And the Egyptians made the lives of the 
children of Israel bitter with hard bondage, 
in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of 
service in the field. 

And the king of Egypt charged all his 
people, saying, * Every son that is born to 
the Hebrews ye shall cast into the river, and 
every daughter ye shall save alive.' 

76 



MOSES 77 

And there was a woman of the house of 
Levi who had a son, and when she saw that 
he was a goodly child, she hid him three 
months. And when she could no longer hide 
him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, 
and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and 
put the child therein, and she laid it in the 
flags by the river's brink. And his sister stood 
afar off to know what would be done to him. 

Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down 
to wash herself at the river. And her 
maidens walked along by the river side. 
And when the daughter of Pharaoh saw the 
ark among the flags, she sent her maid to 
fetch it. And when she had opened it, she 
saw the child, and behold, the babe wept. 
And she had compassion on him and said, 
'This is one of the Hebrews' children.' 

Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, 
'Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the 
Hebrew women, that she may nurse the 
child for thee ? ' 

And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, • Go.' 
And the maid went and called the child's 
mother. And Pharaoh's daughter said unto 



78 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

her, * Take this child away, and nurse it for 
me, and I will give thee thy wages.' 

And the woman took the child and nursed 
it. And the child grew, and she brought 
him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became 
her son. And she called his name Moses, 
and she said, 'Because I drew him out of 
the water.' 

And it came to pass in those days, when 
Moses was grown, that he went out unto his 
brethren, the Hebrews, and looked on their 
burdens. And he spied an Egyptian smiting 
an Hebrew, one of his brethren. 

And Moses looked this way and that 
way; and when he saw that there was no 
man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in 
the sand. 

And when he went out the second day, 
behold, two men of the Hebrews strove 
together. 

And Moses said to him that did the wrong, 
1 Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?' 

And the Hebrew said, c Who made thee a 
prince and a judge over us? Intendest thou 
to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian ? * 




She laid it in the flags by the river's brink 



MOSES 79 

And Moses feared, and said, * Surely this 
thing is known.' 

Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, 
he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled 
from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the 
land of Midian ; and he sat down by a well. 

Now the priest of Midian had seven 
daughters ; and they came and drew water, 
and filled the troughs to water their father's 
flock. 

And the shepherds came and drove them 
away, but Moses stood up and helped them, 
and watered the flock. 

And when they came to their father, he 
said, * How is it that ye are come so soon 
to-day?' And they said, 'An Egyptian 
delivered us out of the hand of the shep- 
herds, and also drew water enough for us, 
and watered the flock.' 

And the father said unto his daughters, 
'And where is he? Why is it that ye have 
left the man ? Call him, that he may eat bread.' 

And Moses was content to dwell with the 
man, and the man gave Moses his daughter 
to wife. 



80 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

And it came to pass in process of time, 
that the king of Egypt died. And the 
children of Israel sighed by reason of the 
bondage, and they cried, and their cry came 
up unto God by reason of the bondage. And 
God heard their groaning, and God remem- 
bered his covenant with Abraham, with 
Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked 
upon the children of Israel, and God remem- 
bered them. 

Now Moses kept the flock of his father-in- 
law, the priest of Midian, and he led the 
flock to the back-side of the desert, and came 
to the mountain of God. 

And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto 
him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a 
bush. And Moses looked, and behold, the 
bush burned with fire, and the bush was not 
consumed. 

And Moses said, 'I will now turn aside 
and see this great sight, why the bush is not 
burnt/ 

And when the Lord saw that he turned 
aside to see, God called to him out of the 
midst of the bush, and said, * Moses, Moses.' 



MOSES 81 

And he said, * Here am L* 

And he said, 'Draw not nigh hither, put 
off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place 
whereon thou standest is holy ground.' 
Moreover, he said, i I am the God of thy 
father, the God of Abraham, the God of 
Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' And Moses 
hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon 
God. 

And the Lord said, ' I have surely seen the 
affliction of my people which are in Egypt, 
and have heard their cry by reason of their 
taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. And 
I am come down to deliver them out of the 
hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up 
out of that land, unto a land flowing with 
milk and honey. Come now, therefore, and 
I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou 
mayest bring forth my people, the children 
of Israel, out of Egypt.' 

And Moses said unto God, 'Who am I 
that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I 
should bring forth the children of Israel out 
of Egypt?' 

And he said, l Certainly I will be with thee 



82 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

and this shall be a token unto thee, that I 
have sent thee. When thou hast brought 
forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve 
God on this mountain.' 

And Moses said unto God, c Behold, when 
I come unto the children of Israel, and shall 
say unto them, "The God of your fathers 
hath sent me unto you," and they shall say 
to me, "What is his name?" what shall I 
say unto them ? * 

And God said unto Moses, 4 I AM THAT I 
AM'; and he said, * Thus shalt thou say unto 
the children of Israel, " I AM hath sent me 
unto you." And ye shall gather the elders of 
Israel together and say unto them, "The Lord 
God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of 
Isaac, and of Jacob appeared unto me, say- 
ing, I have surely visited you, and seen that 
which is done to you in Egypt. And I have 
said, I will bring you up out of the affliction 
of Egypt, unto a land flowing with milk and 
honey." And they shall hearken to thy voice, 
and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of 
Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall 
say unto him, "The Lord God of the Hebrews 



MOSES 83 

hath met with us. And now, let us go, we 
beseech thee, three days' journey into the 
wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the 
Lord our God." And I am sure that the 
king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not 
by a mighty hand. And I will stretch out 
my hand, and smite Egypt with all my 
wonders which I will do in the midst there- 
of, and after that, he will let you go. And 
I will give this people favour in the sight 
of the Egyptians, and it shall come to pass 
that when ye go, ye shall not go empty. 
But every woman shall borrow of her 
neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in 
her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of 
gold, and raiment. And ye shall put them 
upon your sons, and upon your daughters, 
and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.' 

And Moses answered and said, ( But be- 
hold, they will not believe me, nor hearken 
unto my voice, for they will say, " The Lord 
hath not appeared unto thee." ' 

And the Lord said unto him, 'What is 
that in thine hand ? * 

And he said, 'A rod.' 



84 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

And the Lord said, c Cast it on the ground/ 
And he cast it on the ground, and it became 
a serpent, and Moses fled from before it. 

And the Lord said unto Moses, 4 Put forth 
thine hand, and take it by the tail.' And he 
put forth his hand, and caught it, and it 
became a rod in his hand. 

And the Lord said furthermore unto him, 
* Put now thine hand into thy bosom.' And he 
put his hand into his bosom, and when he took 
it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow. 

And he said, 'Put thy hand into thy 
bosom again,' and he put his hand into his 
bosom and plucked it out, and behold, it 
was turned again as his other flesh. 

And God said, * It shall come to pass, if 
they will not believe thee, neither hearken 
to the voice of the first sign, that they will 
believe the voice of the latter sign. And 
it shall come to pass, if they will not believe 
also these two signs, neither hearken unto 
thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water 
of the river, and pour it upon the dry land, 
and the water which thou takest out of the 
river, shall become blood upon the dry land.* 



MOSES 85 

And Moses said, c O my Lord, I cannot 
speak well, for I am slow of speech and of 
a slow tongue/ 

And the Lord said unto him, 'Who hath 
made man's mouth? have not I the Lord? 
Now therefore go, and I will be with thy 
mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.' 

And Moses said, 4 my Lord, send, I 
pray thee, not by my hand.' 

And the anger of the Lord was kindled 
against Moses, and he said, 'Is not Aaron 
the Levite thy brother ? I know that he can 
speak well ; and also, behold, he cometh forth 
to meet thee, and when he seeth thee he will 
be glad in his heart. And thou shalt speak 
unto him, and put words in his mouth, and 
I will be with thy mouth, and with his 
mouth, and will teach you what ye shall 
do. And Aaron shall be thy spokesman 
unto the people, and thou shalt take this 
rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do 
signs.' 

Then Moses went and returned to his 
father-in-law, and said unto him, 'Let me 
go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren 



86 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

which are in Egypt, and see whether they 
be yet alive.' 

And he said, • Go in peace.' 

And the Lord said unto Moses, 'Go, 
return into Egypt, for all the men are dead 
which sought thy life.' Then Moses took 
his wife and his sons, and set them upon an 
ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt, 
and Moses took the rod of God in his hand. 

And the Lord said unto Moses, 'When 
thou goest to return into Egypt, see that 
thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, 
which I have put in thy hand. And thou 
Shalt say unto Pharaoh, "Thus saith the 
Lord, Israel is my son, even my first-born 
son, and I say unto thee, Let my son go, 
that he may serve me ; and if thou refuse to 
let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even 
thy first-born." ' 

And the Lord said to Aaron, c Go into the 
wilderness to meet Moses.' And Aaron went 
to meet him, in the mount of God, and kissed 
him. Then Moses told Aaron all the words 
of the Lord who had sent him, and all the 
signs which he had commanded him. 



MOSES 87 

And Moses and Aaron went and gathered 
together all the elders of the children of 
Israel. And Aaron spake all the words 
which the Lord had spoken unto Moses, 
and did the signs in the sight of the people. 
And the people believed, and when they 
heard that the Lord had visited the children 
of Israel, and that he had looked upon their 
affliction, then they bowed their heads and 
worshipped. 

And afterward Moses and Aaron went 
in and told Pharaoh, ■ Thus saith the Lord 
God of Israel, " Let my people go, that they 
may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness." ' 

And Pharaoh said, c Who is the Lord, that 
I should obey his voice to let Israel go? 
I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel 
go.' 

And they said, 'The God of the Hebrews 
hath met with us. Let us go, we pray 
thee, three days' journey into the desert and 
sacrifice unto the Lord our God.' 

And the king of Egypt said, ■ Wherefore do 
ye, Moses and Aaron, hinder the people from 
their works ? Get you unto your burdens.' 



88 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

And Pharaoh commanded the same day the 
taskmasters of the people, and their officers, 
saying-, c Ye shall no more give the people 
straw to make brick, as heretofore. Let 
them go and gather straw for themselves. 
And they shall make as many bricks as 
heretofore, for they be idle. Therefore they 
cry, saying, " Let us go and sacrifice to our 
God." Let there more work be laid upon 
the men, that they may not listen to foolish 
words.' 

And the taskmasters of the people went 
out, and their officers, and they spake to 
the people, saying, 'Thus saith Pharaoh, 
"I will not give you straw. Go ye, get 
you straw where you can find it."' So 
the people were scattered abroad through- 
out all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble 
instead of straw. And the taskmasters 
hasted them, saying, * Fulfil your works, 
your daily tasks, as when there was straw/ 
And the officers of the children of Israel, 
which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over 
them, were beaten, and demanded, ' Where- 
fore have ye not fulfilled your task in making 



MOSES 89 

brick both yesterday and to-day, as hereto- 
fore?' 

Then the officers of the children of Israel 
came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, 
* Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy 
servants? There is no straw given unto 
thy servants, and they say to us, "Make 
brick," and behold, thy servants are beaten, 
but the fault is in thine own people.' 

But Pharaoh said, c Ye are idle, ye are 
idle, therefore ye say, "Let us go and do 
sacrifice to the Lord." Go therefore now 
and work, for there shall no straw be given 
you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of 
bricks.' 

Then the Israelites met Moses and Aaron, 
who stood in the way as they came forth 
from Pharaoh, and they said unto them, 
1 The Lord look upon you and judge you, 
because ye have made us to be abhorred in 
the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his 
servants.' 

And Moses returned unto the Lord and 
said, 'Lord, wherefore hast thou done evil 
to this people? Why is it that thou hast 

G 



90 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to 
speak in thy name, he hath done evil to 
this people, neither hast thou delivered thy 
people at all.' 

Then the Lord said to Moses, c Now shalt 
thou see what I will do to Pharaoh, for 
with a strong hand shall he let them go, 
and with a strong hand shall he drive them 
out of this land/ 

And Moses encouraged the children of 
Israel. But they hearkened not unto 
Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel 
bondage. 

And the Lord said unto Moses, c Aaron 
thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh that 
he send the children of Israel out of his 
land. But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto 
you, and I shall lay my hand upon Egypt, 
and bring forth mine armies, and my people 
the children of Israel, out of the land of 
Egypt by great judgments ; and the Egyp- 
tians shall know that I am the Lord, when I 
stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and 
bring out the children of Israel from among 
them.' 



MOSES 91 

And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto 
Aaron, saying, i When Pharaoh shall speak 
unto you, saying, " Shew a miracle for you." 
Then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy 
rod, and cast it before Pharaoh," and it shall 
become a serpent/ 

And Moses and Aaron went in unto 
Pharaoh ; and Aaron cast down his rod before 
Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it 
became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also 
called the wise men and the sorcerers, and 
they cast down, every man his rod, and they 
became serpents, but Aaron's rod swallowed 
up their rods. And Pharaoh hardened his 
heart, and refused to let the people go. 

Then the Lord said unto Moses, ■ Get thee 
unto Pharaoh in the morning. Lo, he goeth 
out unto the water; and thou shalt stand 
by the river's brink till he come, and the 
rod which was turned to a serpent shalt 
thou take in thine hand. And thou shalt 
say unto Pharaoh, "The Lord God of the 
Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, 
Let my people go, that they may serve me 
in the wilderness, and behold, hitherto thou 



92 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

wouldest not hear. Thus saith the Lord, 
In this thou shalt know that I am the Lord ; 
behold, I will smite with the rod that is in 
mine hand upon the waters which are in the 
river, and they shall be turned to blood, and 
the fish that are in the river shall die, and the 
Egyptians shall loathe to drink of the water 
of the river." ' 

And Aaron lifted up the rod, and smote the 
waters in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the 
sight of his servants, and all the waters that 
were in the river were turned to blood, and 
the fish that were in the river died. And the 
magicians of Egypt did the same with their 
enchantments. And Pharaoh's heart was 
hardened, and he turned and went into his 
house. And all the Egyptians digged round 
about the river for water to drink, for they 
could not drink of the water of the river. 
And seven days were fulfilled after that the 
Lord had smitten the river. 

And the Lord spake unto Moses, * Go unto 
Pharaoh and say unto him, "Thus saith the 
Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve 
me, and if thou refuse to let them go, behold, 



MOSES 93 

I will smite all thy borders with frogs. They 
shall go up and come into thine house, into 
thy bed-chamber, and upon thy bed, into the 
house of thy servants, and upon thy people, 
and into thine ovens, and into thy kneading- 
troughs," ' 

And Aaron stretched out his hand over the 
waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and 
covered the land of Egypt. 

Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, 
and said, * Entreat the Lord, that he may 
take away the frogs from me and from my 
people, and I will let the people go, that they 
may do sacrifice unto the Lord.* 

And Moses said, ■ When shall I entreat for 
thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, 
to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, 
that they may remain in the river only ? ' 

And Pharaoh said, ' To-morrow/ 

And Moses said, 'Be it according to thy 
word, that thou mayest know that there is 
none like unto the Lord our God; and the 
frogs shall depart, and they shall remain in 
the river only.* 

And Moses cried unto the Lord ; and the 



94 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

Lord did according to the word of Moses, 
and the frogs died out of the houses, out of 
the villages, and out of the fields, and they 
gathered them together upon heaps. But 
when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, 
he hardened his heart, and would not let the 
children of Israel go to do sacrifice unto the 
Lord. 

And the Lord said unto Moses, l Say unto 
Aaron, "Stretch out thy rod and smite the 
dust of the land, that it may become lice 
throughout all the land of Egypt."' And 
Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, 
and the earth became lice in man and beast. 
And the magicians did so with their enchant- 
ments to bring forth lice, but they could not. 
Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, c This 
is the finger of God ' ; but Pharaoh's heart 
was hardened, and he hearkened not unto 
them, as the Lord had said. 

Then the Lord said unto Moses, 'Rise 
up early in the morning, and stand before 
Pharaoh. Lo, he cometh forth to the water, 
and say unto him, "Thus saith the Lord, Let 
my people go, that they may serve me, else 



MOSES 95 

if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, 1 
will send swarms of flies upon thee and upon 
thy servants, and upon thy people and into 
thy houses. And I will sever in that day the 
land in which my people dwell, that no 
swarms of flies shall be there, to the end 
that thou mayest know that I am the Lord, 
and I will put a division between my people 
and thy people." ' 

And the Lord did so; and there came a 
grievous swarm of flies into all the land of 
Egypt. 

Then Pharaoh called for Moses and 
Aaron, and said, ' Go ye, sacrifice to your God 
in the land.' 

But Moses said, 'We will go three days' 
journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice 
there to the Lord our God.' And Pharaoh 
said, *I will let you go, that you may sacrifice 
to the Lord your God in the wilderness, only 
ye shall not go very far away. Entreat for 
me that the flies may be taken away.* 

And Moses said, * Behold, I go out from 
thee, and I will entreat the Lord that the 
swarm of flies may depart. But let not 



96 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more, in not 
letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord/ 

And Moses entreated the Lord ; and he did 
according to the word of Moses, and re- 
moved the swarm of flies. And Pharaoh 
hardened his heart at this time also, neither 
would he let the people go. 

Then the Lord said unto Moses, l Go in unto 
Pharaoh and tell him, "Thus saith the Lord 
God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, 
that they may serve me, for if thou refuse to 
let them go and wilt hold them still, behold, 
the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which 
is in the field, upon the horses, upon the 
asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and 
upon the sheep: there shall be a very 
grievous disease. And the Lord shall sever 
between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of 
Egypt, and there shall nothing die of all that 
is the children's of Israel. ,, ■ And the Lord 
appointed a set time, saying, i To-morrow 
the Lord shall do this thing in the land/ And 
the Lord did that thing on the morrow, and 
all the cattle of Egypt died ; but of the cattle 
of the children of Israel died not one. 



MOSES 97 

Then Pharaoh sent, and behold, there was 
not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. 
And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and 
he did not let the people go. 

And the Lord said unto Moses and unto 
Aaron, 'Take to you handfuls of ashes of 
the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it to- 
ward heaven in the sight of Pharaoh, and it 
shall become small dust in all the land of 
Egypt, and shall be a boil, breaking forth 
upon man and beast throughout all the land 
of Egypt. And Moses and Aaron did so; 
and the magicians could not stand before 
Moses because of the boils, for the boil was 
upon the magicians and upon all the 
Egyptians. And Pharaoh's heart was 
hardened, and he hearkened not unto 
Moses and Aaron. 

And the Lord said unto Moses, * Rise up 
early in the morning, and stand before 
Pharaoh, and say unto him, "Thus saith the 
Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people 
go, that they may serve me, for I will at this 
time send all my plagues upon thine heart, 
and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, 



98 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

that thou mayest know that there is none 
like me in all the earth. Behold, to-morrow 
about this time I will cause it to rain a very 
grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt 
since the foundation thereof even until now. 
Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle 
and all that thou hast in the field, for upon 
every man and beast which shall be found in 
the field, and shall not be brought home, the 
hail shall come down upon them, and they 
shall die.' 

And he that feared the word of the Lord 
among the servants of Pharaoh, made his 
servants and his cattle flee into the houses, 
and he that regarded not the word of the Lord, 
left his servants and his cattle in the field. 

Then Moses stretched forth his rod toward 
heaven, and the Lord sent thunder and hail, 
and the fire ran along upon the ground, and 
the hail smote throughout all the land of 
Egypt all that was in the field, both man and 
beast, and the hail smote every herb and 
brake every tree of the field ; only in the land 
of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, 
was there no hail. 



MOSES , 99 

And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses 
and Aaron, and said unto them, 'I have 
sinned this time. Entreat the Lord that 
there be no more mighty thunderings and 
hail, and I will let you go, and yet shall stay 
no longer.' 

And Moses went out of the city, and spread 
abroad his hands unto the Lord, and the 
thunders and hail ceased. And when 
Pharaoh saw the rain and the hail and the 
thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, 
and hardened his heart, neither would he let 
the children of Israel go. 

And the Lord said unto Moses, 'Go in 
unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, "Thus 
saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, How 
long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself 
before me? Let my people go, that they 
may serve me. Else if thou refuse to let 
my people go, behold, to-morrow will I bring 
the locusts into thy coast, and they shall 
cover the face of the earth. And they shall 
eat that which remaineth unto you from 
the hail, and shall eat every tree which 
groweth for you out of the field. And they 



ioo OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy 
servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians/ 

And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, 
'How long shall this man be a snare unto 
us? Let the men go, that they may serve 
the Lord their God. Knowest thou not yet 
that Egypt is destroyed ? ' 

And Moses and Aaron were brought again 
unto Pharaoh, and he said unto them, * Go, 
serve the Lord your God ; but who are they 
that shall go ? ' 

And Moses said, 'We will go with our 
young and with our old, with our sons and 
with our daughters, with our flocks and with 
our herds will we go, for we must hold a 
feast unto the Lord.' 

And Pharaoh said, 'Not so; go now ye 
that are men, and serve the Lord, for that ye 
did desire/ 

And they were driven out from Pharaoh's 
presence. And the Lord said, 'Stretch out 
thine hand over the land of Egypt for the 
locusts, that they may come up upon the 
land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, 
even all that the hail hath left.' 



MOSES 101 

And Moses stretched forth his rod, and the 
Lord brought an east wind upon the land, 
and the east wind brought the locusts : very 
grievous they were, for they covered the face 
of the whole earth, so that the land was 
darkened. And they did eat every herb of 
the land, and all the fruit of the trees which 
the hail had left. 

Then Pharaoh called for Moses in haste 
and said, 'I have sinned against the Lord 
your God, and against you. Now therefore 
forgive, I pray thee, my sin, only this once, 
and entreat the Lord your God.' And Moses 
went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the 
Lord. And the Lord turned a mighty strong 
west wind, which took away the locusts and 
cast them into the Red Sea. But Pharaoh 
hardened his heart, and would not let the 
children of Israel go. 

And the Lord said unto Moses, 4 Stretch 
out thine hand toward heaven, that there 
may be darkness over the land of Egypt, 
even darkness which may be felt.' 

And Moses stretched forth his hand, and 
there was a thick darkness in all the land of 



102 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

Egypt three days, but all the children of 
Israel had light in their dwellings. 

Then Pharaoh called unto Moses and said, 
1 Go ye, serve the Lord, only let your flocks 
and your herds stay ; let your little ones also 
go with you.* 

And Moses said, ' Our cattle also shall go 
with us, for thereof must we take to serve the 
Lord our God.' 

But Pharaoh hardened his heart and would 
not let them go ; and Pharaoh said to Moses, 
'Get thee from me ; take heed to thyself, see 
my face no more, for in that day thou seest 
my face thou shalt die.' 

And Moses said, 'Thou hast spoken well ; 
I will see thy face again no more/ 

And the Lord said to Moses, 'Yet will I 
bring one plague more upon Pharaoh and 
upon Egypt; afterward he will let you go. 
Speak to the people that they borrow of their 
neighbour, jewels of silver and jewels of gold/ 

And Moses said, 'Thus saith the Lord, 
"About midnight will I go out into the midst 
of Egypt, and all the first-born in the land of 
Egypt shall die, and there shall be a great cry 



MOSES 103 

throughout all the land of Egypt." And the 
Egyptians shall come and bow themselves 
unto me, saying, "Get thee out, and all the 
people that follow thee."' 

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
'This shall be the first month of the year 
to you. Speak to the children of Israel, 
saying, " In the tenth day of this month they 
shall take every man a lamb, a lamb for an 
house. And they shall take of the blood, and 
strike it on the two side-posts and on the 
upper door-post of the houses, and they shall 
eat the flesh. And thus shall ye eat it : with 
your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, 
and your staff in your hand. Ye shall eat it 
in haste, it is the Lord's passover. For I will 
pass through the land of Egypt this night, 
and will smite all the first-born in the land. 
And when I see the blood upon the houses, I 
will pass over you, and the plague shall not 
smite you." ' 

And it came to pass at midnight the Lord 
smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, 
from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on 
his throne, unto the first-born of the captive 



104 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

that was in the dungeon. And Pharaoh rose 
up in the night, he and all his servants, and 
there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was 
not a house where there was not one dead. 

And Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron 
by night, and said, 'Rise up, and get you 
forth, and go serve the Lord, and take your 
flocks and herds, and bless me also.' And 
the Egyptians made haste to send them out of 
the land, for they said, c We be all dead men.' 

And when Pharaoh had let the people go, 
God led them through the wilderness to the 
Red Sea. And the Lord went before them 
by day in a pillar of a cloud to lead them in 
the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give 
them light. 

And Pharaoh's heart was turned, and he 
said, 'Why have we let Israel go?' And he 
made ready his chariots, and he took his 
people with him, and he pursued after the 
children of Israel. 

And when the children of Israel saw 
Pharaoh nigh, they were sore afraid, and 
they said unto Moses, ' Wherefore hast thou 
brought us into the wilderness to die ? ' 



MOSES 105 

And Moses said, * Fear not, the Lord shall 
fight for you.' 

And the Lord said unto Moses, c Speak 
unto the children of Israel that they go 
forward ; but stretch thou thy rod over the 
sea and divide it, and the children of Israel 
shall pass over on dry ground.' And Moses 
did so; and the Lord caused a strong east 
wind to divide the waters, and the children 
of Israel went through the waters on dry 
ground. And when the Egyptians went in 
after them, the Lord said to Moses, ' Stretch 
out thine hand over the sea ? : and the waters 
returned, and covered the chariots and the 
horsemen and all the host of Pharaoh. 
Thus the Lord saved Israel out of the hand of 
the Egyptians ; and Israel saw that great 
work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians, 
and the people believed the Lord and his 
servant Moses. 

So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea 
into the wilderness ; and they found no water. 
And when they came to water it was bitter ; 
therefore they could not drink, and the people 
murmured against Moses. And he cried 

H 



106 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

unto the Lord ; and the Lord shewed him a 
tree, which when he had cast into the waters, 
the waters were made sweet. 

Then the children of Israel came to the 
wilderness of Sin ; and they murmured there 
and said, c Would to God we were in Egypt, 
where we did eat bread to the full. For ye 
have brought us to this wilderness to kill 
us with hunger/ 

And the Lord said unto Moses, * Behold, 
I will rain bread from heaven for you, and the 
people shall go out and gather a certain rate 
every day, and on the sixth day they shall 
bring in twice as much as they gather daily.' 
And the Lord said, 'At even ye shall eat flesh, 
and in the morning ye shall be filled with 
bread.' 

And it came to pass that at even the quails 
came up and covered the camp, and in the 
morning dew lay round about the host, and 
when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, 
upon the face of the wilderness there lay a 
small round thing, as small as the hoar frost ; 
and when the children of Israel saw it, they 
said, i It is manna, for they wist not what it 



MOSES 107 

was.* And Moses said to them, 'This is the 
bread which the Lord hath given you/ 

And the children of Israel journeyed from 
the wilderness of Sin, and they pitched where 
there was no water to drink. And the people 
did chide with Moses, and said, 'Give us 
water to drink.' 

And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, 
4 What shall I do unto this people? They be 
almost ready to stone me.' 

And the Lord said, 'Take thy rod and smite 
upon the rock, and there shall come water 
out of it that the people may drink/ And 
Moses did so in the sight of all the people, 
and the people drank of the water. 

In the third month the children of Israel 
were come to the desert of Sinai ; and there 
Israel camped before Mount Sinai, and 
Moses went up unto God, and the Lord 
called unto him out of the mountains. And 
the Lord said unto Moses, 'Go unto the 
people, and let them cleanse themselves, and 
let them wash their clothes. And thou shalt 
set bounds round the mount, that no one may 
go up unto it : for the third day the Lord 



108 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

will come down in the sight of all the people 
upon Mount Sinai. Whosoever toucheth the 
mount shall surely be put to death.' And on 
the third day Moses brought forth the people 
out of the camp to meet with God. 

And Mount Sinai was altogether on a 
smoke, because the Lord descended upon it 
in fire. And God spake to the people, and all 
the people saw the thunderings and light- 
nings and the mountain smoking, and when 
the people saw it, they removed and stood 
far off, and they said unto Moses, ' Speak 
thou with us, and we will hear, but let not 
God speak with us lest we die.' 

And the Lord said unto Moses, i Come up 
to me in the mount and be there. And I 
will give thee tables of stone and command- 
ments which I have written, that thou 
mayest teach them.' 

And Moses went up into the mount, and a 
cloud covered the mount, and Moses went 
into the midst of the cloud ; and he was in 
the mount forty days and forty nights. 

And when God had made an end of com- 
muning with Moses upon Mount Sinai, he 



MOSES 109 

gave unto him two tables of stone, written 
with the finger of God. 

And when the people saw that Moses 
stayed in the mount, they went to Aaron 
and said, 'Make us gods which shall go 
before us ; for as for this Moses, we know 
not what has become of him.' 

And Aaron saidi unto them, ' Break off 
the golden earrings which are in the ears 
of your wives, of your sons, and of your 
daughters, and bring them unto me.' 

And the people did so, and brought the 
golden earrings to Aaron, and he received 
them at their hand, and he made them into 
a molten calf. And Aaron built an altar 
before it, and said, 'To-morrow is a feast 
to this Lord.* And the people rose up early 
on the morrow, and offered burnt-offerings 
and peace-offerings. 

And the Lord said to Moses, 'Go, get 
thee down, for the people have made a calf 
and are worshipping it* And Moses turned 
and went down from the mount, and the 
two tables of stone were in his hand. And 
Joshua, Moses* servant, heard the noise of 



no OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

the people as they shouted, and he said unto 
Moses, * There is a noise of war in the camp.' 

But Moses said, c The noise of them that 
sing do I hear.' 

And it came to pass as soon as he came 
nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf and 
the dancing ; and Moses' anger waxed hot, 
and he cast the tables of stone out of his 
hands and brake them. And he took the 
calf which they had made, and burnt it in 
the fire, and ground it to powder, and cast 
it upon the water, and made the children of 
Israel drink of it. And the Lord punished 
the people because they made the calf. 

And the Lord said unto Moses, 'Hew 
thee two tables of stone like unto the first, 
and I will write upon these tables the words 
that were in the first tables, which thou 
brakest.' And Moses was there with the 
Lord forty days and forty nights, and he 
did neither eat bread nor drink water. And 
when he came down from the mount, Moses 
wist not that the skin of his face shone. 
And when Aaron and all the children of 
Israel saw that the skin of his face shone, 




And Moses turned and went down from the mount and the two 
tables of stone were in his hand 



MOSES in 

they were afraid to come nigh him. And 
Moses called unto them, and talked with 
them, and till he had done speaking with 
them, Moses put a veil on his face. 

And Moses said, 'This is the thing which 
the Lord commanded. "Thou shalt make 
a tabernacle according to the pattern that 
I shall tell thee, and in it thou shalt put an 
ark of wood, which thou shalt overlay with 
pure gold, and thou shalt put the mercy- 
seat above upon the ark, and in the ark 
thou shalt put the tables of stone, and 
there will I meet with thee from above the 
mercy-seat." ' 

And the children of Israel journeyed from 
the wilderness of Sinai, and pitched their 
camp near to the land of Canaan. And 
the Lord said, 'Send men that they may 
search the land of Canaan, which I give 
unto the children of Israel.* 

And Moses sent twelve men to spy out the 
land, and said unto them, c Get you up and 
see the land what it is, and the people that 
dwell therein, whether they be strong or 
weak, few or many, and what the land is, 



112 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

whether it be good or bad, and what cities 
they be that they dwell in, whether tents or 
strongholds, also whether there is wood there- 
in or not. And bring of the fruit of the land.' 
Now this was the time of the first-ripe grapes. 

And the spies came to the land, and cut 
down a branch with one cluster of grapes, 
and they bare it between two upon a staff, 
and they brought of the pomegranates, and 
of the figs, and they returned from searching 
the land after forty days. And they came to 
Moses and all the people, and shewed them 
the fruit of the land, and they told Moses 
and said, 'We came unto the land whither 
thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with 
milk and honey, and this is the fruit of it. 
Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell 
in the land, and the cities are walled and 
very great.' 

And Caleb, one of the spies, quieted 
the people and said to Moses, 'Let us go 
up at once and possess it, for we are well 
able to overcome it.' But the men that 
went up with him said, 'We be not able 
to go up against the people, for all the 



MOSES 113 

people we saw in the land are men of a 
great stature, and there we saw giants, and 
we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, 
and so we were in their sight.' 

Then all the children of Israel lifted 
up their voices and wept, and murmured 
against Moses, and said, • Would God we 
had died in Egypt/ or i Would God we had 
died in this wilderness.' And they said 
one to another, 'Let us make a captain, 
and let us return into Egypt.' 

And the Lord said to Moses, ' How long 
shall I bear with this people, which murmur 
against me ? Say unto them, " Ye shall not 
come into the land which I promised to give 
you, but ye shall die in the wilderness, and 
your children shall wander in the wilderness 
forty years." ' And those men that did bring 
up the evil report of the land died by the 
plague before the Lord ; but Joshua the son 
of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh died 
not. 

Then came the children of Israel again 
into the desert of Sin; and there was no 
water in the desert, and the people rose up 



114 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

against Moses and said, 'Would God we 
had died when our brethren died. Why hast 
thou brought us to this evil place ? It is no 
place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of 
pomegranates, neither is there any water 
to drink.' 

And Moses and Aaron went from the pres- 
ence of the people, and fell upon their faces 
before the Lord. And the Lord spake unto 
Moses, saying, ' Take thy rod, and gather the 
people together, and speak unto the rock 
before their eyes, and it shall give forth 
water, and thou shalt give the congregation 
and their beasts drink.' 

And Moses took the rod, and said unto the 
people, l Hear now, ye rebels, must we fetch 
you water out of this rock?' And Moses 
lifted up his hand, and with his rod he 
smote the rock twice, and the water came 
out abundantly, and the congregation drank, 
and their beasts also. And the rock was 
called Meribah. 

And the Lord spake unto Moses, ' Because 
ye obeyed me not, but struck the rock, there- 
fore ye shall not bring this people into the 



MOSES 115 

land which I have given them.' And the 
Lord said, i Aaron also shall die, for he also 
rebelled against my word at the rock Meri- 
bah. Take Aaron and his son, and bring 
them up unto the mount, and strip Aaron 
of his garments and put them upon his son, 
and Aaron shall die there.' And Moses did 
so, and Aaron died there on the top of the 
mount, and all the children of Israel mourned 
for Aaron thirty days. 

And the people were discouraged because 
of the way, and they spake against God and 
against Moses, * Wherefore have ye brought 
us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness. 
For there is no bread, neither is there any 
water, and our soul loatheth this light bread/ 
And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the 
people, and they bit the people, and much 
people of Israel died. Therefore the people 
came to Moses and said, 'We have sinned, 
for we have spoken against the Lord and 
against thee. Pray unto the Lord that he 
take away the serpents from us.' And Moses 
prayed for the people. 

And the Lord said unto Moses, ■ Make thee 



n6 OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole ; and 
it shall come to pass that every one that is 
bitten, when he looketh upon it shall live.' 
And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put 
it upon a pole ; and it came to pass that if a 
serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld 
the serpent of brass, he lived. 

And the Lord said unto Moses, i Get thee 
up into this mount, and see the land which I 
have given to the children of Israel, and 
when thou hast seen it thou also shalt die as 
Aaron thy brother, for ye rebelled against 
me at the waters of Meribah/ And Moses 
said, * Let the Lord set a man over the con- 
gregation, which may go out before them, 
and which may go in before them, and which 
may lead them out, and which may bring 
them in, that the congregation of the Lord 
be not as sheep which have no shepherd.* 

And the Lord said, c Take Joshua the son 
of Nun, and lay thy hand upon him, and set 
him before the priest and before all the con- 
gregation, and give him charge in their 
sight/ And Moses did as the Lord com- 
manded. 



MOSES 117 

And Moses went up from the plains unto 
the mountain, and the Lord shewed him all 
the land, and the Lord said, 'This is the 
land which I sware unto Abraham, unto 
Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, " I will give 
it unto thy children." I have caused thee to 
see it, but thou shalt not go over thither.' 

So Moses the servant of the Lord died 
there, according to the word of the Lord. 
And the Lord buried him in the valley, but 
no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this 
day. 

And Moses was an hundred and twenty 
years old when he died. His eye was not 
dim, nor was his strength abated. 

And the children of Israel wept for Moses 
in the plains for thirty days; so the days 
of weeping and mourning for Moses were 
ended. 



Edinburgh : Printed by T. and A. Constable 



TOLD TO THE CHILDREN SERIES 

In dainty volumes, bound in cloth, with picture design; 
printed on pure rag" paper, in beautiful Antique type. 

Each Volume is illustrated with Eight Pictures in Colour by well- 
known artists ', including By am Shaw, F. D. Bedford, A. S. Forrest, 
Katharine Cameron, and W. Heath Robinson. 



Stories of Robin Hood. By H. C. Marshall ; pictures by 
A. S. Forrest. 

Stories of King Arthur's Knights. By Mary Macgregor ; 
pictures by Katharine Cameron. 

Stories from Chaucer. By Janet Harvey Kelman ; pictures 
by W. Heath Robinson. 

Stories from the Faerie Queen. ByjEANiE Lang; pictures 
by Rose Le Quesne. 

Robinson Crusoe. Retold by John Lang ; pictures by W. B. 
Robinson. 

Old Testament Stories. By Edwin Chisholm ; pictures by 
R. T. Rose. 

The Heroes. Retold by Mary Macgregor ; pictures by Rose 
Le Quesne. 

The Water- Babies. Retold by Amy Steedman ; pictures by 
Katharine Cameron. 

Stories from the Life of Christ. By Janet Harvey Kel- 
man ; pictures by F. D. Bedford. 



A Special Volume of the Series will be Nursery Rhymes, selected 
by Louey Chisholm, with forty illustrations in colour by 
S. R. Praegar and Jack Orr. 



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